Chief Operating Officer

The Client

The Maxol Group, privately owned by the McMullan family for four generations, has been a leader in the Irish forecourt convenience and mobility energy sectors for over 104 years. With 244 modern service stations, Maxol is at the heart of communities nationwide and serves 3,000 businesses through its Fuelcard Services division. Maxol has invested over €225m in its store network over the past decade, shifting towards a convenience retail and food-service brand. This includes the launch of premium concepts like ROSA Coffee and Maxol Deli, as well as strategic alliances, earning recognition such as the NACS European Convenience Retailer of the Year in 2022. Maxol is committed to sustainability, with plans to achieve net zero by 2050 and investments in EV infrastructure.

The Challenge

Maxol had not appointed a Chief Operating Officer for over four years, making this a pivotal search aimed at strengthening the leadership team with a strategically minded operational executive. The newly defined role was designed to bring fresh alignment and focus to Maxol’s strategic priorities, particularly within the evolving retail landscape. Our mandate was to identify a seasoned leader with deep expertise in the retail sector, with a strong preference for candidates experienced in convenience and forecourt retail. Given the niche and highly competitive nature of the forecourt retail talent market, we broadened our search to include complementary sectors such as pharmacy retail, big-box retail, and premium food and beverage retail. This was a comprehensive all-Ireland search, further extended to the UK and US markets with a focus on engaging members of the Irish diaspora. Additionally, given Maxol’s identity as a multi-generational family business, cultural fit was a key consideration. We sought individuals who could not only drive operational excellence but also thrive within the unique dynamics of a family-owned enterprise.

The Solution

Within the first week of the search process, we identified a leader with a strong retail background in Ireland and with international retail experience. This candidate was not on Maxol’s radar prior to our introduction and was in fact someone working within a Big 4 Consultancy business working within their retail and transformation division. The candidate brought deep expertise in food and beverage retail, complemented by operational leadership experience across Ireland within a prominent pharmacy retail chain. Their strategic insight and operational acumen quickly became evident, and they have since made a significant and measurable impact in their leadership role at the Maxol Group.