Your monthly insight into the people, places, and patterns moving global trade.
Welcome back to Dispatch 3 of #OnTheMove (5-min read). We are Metafora Search, specialists in Logistics & Supply Chain executive search. Each month, we bring you industry developments and interpret what they mean for businesses hiring – and for candidates planning their next move.
In this issue:
- The UK Market: Costs climbing, talent thinning, and tech racing to keep supply chains moving.
- Brazil’s Growth Story: A booming market balancing e-commerce opportunity with crumbling roads.
- Company Spotlight: DP Worlds’s expansion play – and why we’re meeting clients at the Ryder Cup & Breakbulk Americas.
- M&A’s: From $85B rail megadeals to cold chain consolidation – the talent squeeze is real.
- Leadership Moves: New CEOs at Uber Freight, FedEx and more – reshaping the agenda.
- #OnTheMoveJobs: Senior sales, strategy, and ops roles live across global hotspots.
The UK: A Logistics Powerhouse
The UK logistics sector is a powerhouse worth £170 billion, employing more than 2.7 million people and keeping trade flowing between home shores and global markets. It’s an industry that’s only getting bigger as e-commerce demand accelerates and digital trade documents finally start to move from concept to reality.
But the headline numbers hide some deep pressures. Rising fuel and wage costs are biting into margins, interest rates remain high, and post-Brexit supply chains are still far from frictionless. Years of underinvestment in infrastructure haven’t helped either, leaving businesses navigating congested corridors and patchy connectivity. Talent, too, is a persistent pinch point: the sector continues to struggle with attraction and retention, and many argue that real skills reform is overdue.
At the same time, digitalisation is no longer just a buzzword. The new Electronic Trade Documents Act is already cutting red tape and speeding up cross-border flows, while AI, IoT, and real-time analytics are moving beyond pilots into day-to-day operations. The direction is clear: those who combine cost control with tech adoption and smart workforce strategies will be the ones to set the pace.
Companies like Royal Mail, rolling out 3,500 “postboxes of the future”, illustrate how innovation is filtering down into customer touchpoints. The winners in the UK will be those who harness technology while also tackling cost pressures and workforce challenges head-on.
Brazil’s Growth Story: Booming Demand, Broken Roads
Brazil is fast turning into one of logistics’ most dynamic growth markets. E-commerce is exploding, trade volumes are climbing, and government-backed infrastructure programmes are unlocking new capacity. On paper, the opportunity is huge.
But growth comes with grit. Around 60% of goods still move by road, and much of that network is under-maintained and expensive to operate. Logistics costs remain high compared with global peers, creating a drag on efficiency and margins. For all its momentum, Brazil is a market that demands resilience and creativity.
Change is underway. Warehousing and distribution capacity is scaling fast to keep pace with e-commerce. Cold chain demand is rising sharply in food and pharma. Companies are exploring multimodal solutions – rail, waterways, and ports – to ease road dependence, while sustainability is climbing the agenda with investments in electric and hybrid fleets. Above it all sits technology: AI, automation, and big data are moving into the mainstream, helping to forecast demand and optimise networks.
For ambitious logistics leaders, Brazil represents a market in transition – challenging, complex, but rich with opportunity for those able to balance bold investment with practical problem-solving.
Company Spotlight – DP World
This month’s Company Spotlight is DP World – proving that scale and sustainability can go hand in hand.
H1 2025 results tell the story: revenue up 20%, EBITDA up 21%, and container volumes rising 6% globally. Its Unifeeder multimodal network continues to be a lifeline for shippers, while its freight forwarding arm now spans 300+ locations across 90% of global trade lanes.
Sustainability is also in focus. From October, DP World will quintuple its carbon credit incentives at UK ports and has again been recognised in Brazil for emissions transparency. Partnerships like its new MoU with Itochu to expand in sub-Saharan Africa show the company’s long-term intent.
On a personal note, we’ll be heading to New York for the Ryder Cup on Friday 26th September, hosted by DP World – a chance to meet clients, make new connections, and enjoy one of sport’s biggest occasions.
Breakbulk Americas
Just days later, we’ll be in Houston for Breakbulk Americas 2025 (30 Sept – 2 Oct), celebrating its 35th year. The event remains a cornerstone of the project cargo and breakbulk community – bringing together operators, shippers, and service providers shaping the sector’s future.
It’s an ideal moment to catch up with clients, meet new contacts, and get a pulse on how the industry is evolving. If you’re attending, let’s connect.
M&A Spotlight
The logistics and supply chain sector continues to see intense M&A activity, with more than 30 deals announced across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa in recent weeks. From billion-dollar rail mergers to targeted expansions in cold chain, intermodal, and digital freight platforms, the pace shows no signs of slowing. Here are some of the most notable developments:
- Union Pacific acquires Norfolk Southern – An $85 billion takeover reshaping US rail and demanding large-scale integration leadership.
- DP World acquires Famous Holdings and NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers – Strengthening intermodal and project logistics capability.
- CubeCold, Mutares, and Hub Group expand cold chain portfolios – Stretching already scarce specialist operations talent.
- DAT Freight & Analytics acquires Convoy (from Flexport) – Underscoring digital and data platforms as the new battleground.
- Williams Shipping acquires GIF Transport & Logistics and opens new Aberdeen site – Signalling growth in marine and energy logistics.
- Trans Wonderland Group proposes acquisition of Avenell Engineering System and Alfa Limited in Papua New Guinea – Infrastructure execution talent will be key.
- SolitAir partners with Eight Wings Aerospace – Highlighting the convergence of aviation and logistics skillsets.
- Soldier Enterprises acquires Enterprise Freight Systems – Expanding into freight forwarding, cold chain, warehousing, and technology.
- Lazer Logistics acquires NetCorp Trailers, EJR Logistics, and Stein & Sons – Adding trailer leasing, yard spotting, and shuttle services in Chicago and DFW.
- BNSF and CSX announce new intermodal services – Connecting Southern California to Charlotte/Jacksonville and Phoenix to Atlanta.
- DHL eCommerce invests in AJEX – A minority stake supporting Strategy 2030 expansion into Saudi Arabia.
- OPTEL acquires Vanguard Robotics – Strengthening automation capabilities in pharma logistics.
What this means for talent in the industry
Consolidation is creating strong demand for senior leaders who can align systems, cultures, and strategies post-merger. Integration is now the real test of deal value, and businesses want executives who can steady organisations through uncertainty while driving growth.
Specialist skills are also under pressure. Cold chain, aviation-linked supply chains, and energy logistics are hot spots, while demand for digital and data talent continues to outpace supply. Leaders who can embed automation, analytics, and platform integration at scale are especially sought after.
For candidates, this is a moment of both risk and opportunity. Deals can trigger restructures and redundancies – but they also open new doors. Those who can show they’re integration-ready, commercially minded, and comfortable leading through change will find themselves with more options, not fewer.
Leadership Moves
Executive reshuffles remain a defining feature of the sector, with major players appointing new leaders to align with growth ambitions, global expansion, and digital-first strategies. Here’s a snapshot of the latest appointments:
- Logistics UK: CEO David Wells steps down.
- Uber Freight: Rebecca Tinucci appointed CEO, marking a new chapter in the company’s evolution.
- NTG: Daniel Leegaard Heede named Group CIO.
- FedEx: Vishal Talwar appointed EVP, Chief Digital & Information Officer, and President of FedEx Dataworks.
- RPM: Binu Panicker named CTO, bringing 26+ years of technology leadership and AI supply chain expertise.
- Bullet Express: Grant Donald joins as COO, formerly Head of Movianto’s UK network operations.
- DX Group: Ian Truesdale appointed Group CEO, replacing Paul Ibbetson.
What it means for hiring
Leadership transitions rarely stop at the boardroom. New CEOs and senior executives typically bring fresh strategies, reorganisations, and shifts in focus that cascade down through commercial, operational, and digital functions. That means businesses often find themselves needing new talent not just at the top, but across middle management and specialist teams to support those priorities.
For candidates, these transitions create windows of opportunity. A new leader can reset hiring agendas, open up strategic projects, and spark demand for skills that weren’t previously on the radar – particularly in areas like digital transformation, sustainability, and customer-facing commercial roles. Those who position themselves as adaptable and change-ready will be best placed to seize these openings.
For employers, the challenge is retention. Leadership change can unsettle teams and trigger exits if communication and direction aren’t clear. Organisations that manage transitions well – by engaging their workforce, defining new priorities quickly, and investing in their people—stand the best chance of holding onto critical talent while attracting the next wave of leaders.
#OnTheMoveJobs
We’re currently supporting several top-tier logistics and supply chain businesses with key leadership hires. Open roles include:
- Global Account Director – Technology (US)
- Director of Business Development – Integrated Logistics (US) (at latter stages)
- Director of Sales – Trucking (US)
- KAM / BDM – Freight Forwarding / Project Logistics (Thailand)
- Operations Manager – Shipping (Caribbean – relocation offered)
We’re proud to support clients globally as they scale, hire, and localise. If you’re looking to build leadership capability in-market or are exploring your next move in logistics and supply chain, let’s connect 📞
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