Brad Jacobs to Step Down as Chairman of XPO and GXO
Leadership Transitions Take Effect at the End of December
Key Takeaways:
- Brad Jacobs will step down as board chairman of XPO and GXO Logistics effective Dec. 31, the companies said Dec. 15.
- At XPO, CEO Mario Harik will add the chairman role while Jacobs stays as special adviser through June, following leadership shifts after the GXO and RXO spinoffs.
- At GXO, Patrick Byrne is expected to become chairman as the company points to new executives, a revamped board and regulatory approval to acquire Wincanton.
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Brad Jacobs will step down as board chairman for both and , the companies announced Dec. 15.
Jacobs will leave both roles Dec. 31 but remain with XPO to serve in the role of special adviser through June 30. He had originally served as CEO but transitioned to executive chairman of the board late in 2022. Mario Harik will become chairman while continuing as CEO.
Jacobs joined XPO in 2011 and built it into one of North America’s largest transportation companies before spinning off GXO in 2021 and RXO in 2022.
“Leading XPO since 2011 has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” Jacobs said. “Mario was one of my very first hires at XPO, and he’s done an exceptional job in every role he’s had, including chief information officer, chief customer officer, president of LTL, and most consequentially as CEO. The company is in very capable hands, and I look forward to supporting its continued success as an adviser through June 2026.”
At GXO, Patrick Byrne will succeed Jacobs as nonexecutive chairman. Byrne joined the GXO board in July and previously served as CEO of GE Digital and senior vice president of operational transformation at General Electric.
“When we completed the GXO spinoff, I committed to staying on for three years as chairman,” Jacobs said. “More than four years later, the company is stronger than ever, and the leadership team is well-positioned to drive GXO’s next chapter of growth.”
The GXO chairman transition follows a period of transformation at the company, including the appointment of CEO Patrick Kelleher, several senior leadership hires, seven new independent board members and regulatory approval of its acquisition of Wincanton.
“Brad’s vision and leadership created the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider and I am honored to serve as its chairman,” Byrne said. “On behalf of the entire board, we look forward to continuing to work closely with the management team as we grow the business to create exceptional value for our customers and shareholders.”
XPO ranks No. 5 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America and No. 4 on the LTL sector list. GXO ranks No. 3 on the TT Top 100 list of the largest logistics companies in North America.
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