Bullet Express has promoted its chief operating officer Grant Donald to chief executive, succeeding John McKail, who is stepping down from the role but will remain as a non-executive director. The leadership change is effective from 1 November.

Bullet Express is a British logistics, distribution and storage company headquartered in Glasgow, Scotland, providing contract-backed supply chain services across transport, storage and worldwide freight. The company recorded turnover of £19.2 million and normalised EBITDA of £1.8 million in its most recent published accounts.

Donald joined the business a year ago following senior positions at Movianto and DPD, and has led the operations of the business across transport, storage and worldwide operations.

The structural driver is Bullet Express's succession planning under its 2023 private equity-backed management buyout, which McKail led on the condition of installing a leadership transition within three years.

Donald said, "These are exciting times for Bullet Express and I am privileged to take up the challenge of becoming CEO and leading the next phase of development for the business. I'd like to thank John McKail for his leadership, guidance and professional support since I joined the business and I'm looking forward to continuing to work with him going forward."

McKail said, "My first step is to congratulate Grant on this well-earned promotion, which I know will be popular throughout the company. This is a natural transition for our company that helps me progress to the next phase of my personal plan whilst still supporting the business. Grant's experience and vision places Bullet Express in safe hands for the long term."

McKail will remain on the group board as a non-executive director and, in a part-time consultancy capacity, will support Donald's transition to CEO, mentoring leadership and focusing on commercial growth, including mergers and acquisitions.

For the sector, the transition illustrates how private equity-backed logistics operators are formalising leadership succession as part of longer-term buy-and-build growth strategies.

Source: Daily Business / Bullet Express