GXO Logistics Appoints Adrian Stoch as Chief Automation Officer

GXO Logistics Inc. today announced that it has promoted Adrian Stoch to the newly created role of chief automation officer in response to "the tremendous customer demand for automation." It added that the role "has global responsibility for establishing industry-leading automation capabilities to be deployed across GXO's network, generating new business opportunities, and furthering the company's distinct automation advantage.

Stock will report to CEO Malcolm Wilson and will collaborate closely with Sandeep Sakharkar, chief information officer, to develop and execute the company's technology strategy and offerings, according to GXO.

“Adrian is a proven leader with a long track record of growth, customer centricity, and operational excellence, who has led game-changing automation deployments across our network,” said Wilson in a release. “Given the outsized customer demand we are seeing for technology and automated solutions, we are intensifying focus on this critical growth driver to create ever better experiences and offerings for our customers, as we establish GXO as the undisputed leader in automated supply chain capabilities.”

Stoch brings experience in business expansion

Previously, Stoch served as president of the Consumer Division in GXO’s Americas and Asia-Pacific region. The company said he obtained record business and led significant automation expansion across many of GXO’s largest U.S. sites for an array of leading brands, including Adidas, H&M, L’Oréal, and Spanx.

Chief Automation Officer Adrian Stoch. Source: GXO

Stoch has more than three decades of experience across a range of industries, including omnichannel retail, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. Before joining GXO, Stoch held senior operations roles at Target, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and Cardinal Health.

The chief automation officer (CAO) will be responsible for a team that will focus on automating and optimizing the main warehouse process paths, as well as collaborating across GXO in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital integration.

The company added that it has been accelerating its deployment of machine learning and AI across its global network to boost productivity on top of the benefits of other warehouse technology.

GXO said that as it expands its leadership position, Stoch will continue to build out the function’s scale and skills.

GXO sets operational tech records

GXO Logistics claimed that it is "the world's largest pure-play contract logistics provider" and that it "leads the industry in automation," generating about 30% of its revenue from automated solutions, in comparison with the industry average of 8%.

The Greenwich, Conn.-based company added that it is benefiting from the rapid growth of e-commerce, automation, and outsourcing. In the first quarter of 2023, GXO said it set a new record for operational technology deployment, increasing total tech and automated systems by 64% year over year.

GXO has more than 130,000 team members across more than 970 facilities totaling approximately 200 million sq. ft. The company said it partners with leading companies "to solve complex logistics challenges with technologically advanced supply chain and e-commerce solutions, at scale and with speed."