Lead photo: CEO Brad Jacobs (center) and the QXO executive team ring the New York Stock Exchange opening bell on April 30. (QXO photo)

Brad Jacobs is leaving no doubt that he is all in on distribution.

The billionaire and serial entrepreneur announced Dec. 15 that he will step down from his chairman roles at XPO and GXO Logistics on Dec. 31 so that he can focus more on QXO — the building materials distribution platform launched in late 2023.

Jacobs will serve as Senior Advisor to XPO through June 30 of next year, while Mario Harik will remain XPO’s CEO (began in 2022) and become its board chairman. Meanwhile, Patrick Bryne will take the role of GXO’s Non-Executive Chairman.

Premium: Jacobs Answers QXO’s Frequently Asked Questions (Sept. 11)

“By transitioning out of my board positions at XPO and GXO, I can dedicate even more energy to QXO and Jacobs Private Equity,” Jacobs said in a news release. “We intend to grow QXO into a $50 billion revenue leader in building products distribution through accretive acquisitions and organic growth. XPO and GXO are in excellent shape and their prospects are very bright.”

Jacobs had previously relinquished his role at truckload broker RXO — a XPO spinoff — in 2024.

Jacobs launched XPO in 2011, and it has scaled to $8 billion in annual revenue through 2024. He then oversaw its 2021 spinoff of GXO Logistics — which had nearly $13 billion in trailing 12 months revenue through September of this year — as well as RXO in 2022. Jacobs founded and launched QXO in late 2023, and its $11 billion acquisition of Beacon in 2024 was its first landmark acquisition on its consistently stated path toward $50 billion in revenue.

Meanwhile, Jacobs Private Equity is Jacobs’ personal investment firm used to inject substantial equity capital in companies he deems positioned to create exceptional value.

“Leading XPO since 2011 has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” Jacobs added. “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 advisor through June 2026. 

Here’s a career timeline for Jacobs:

• 1980s (early career): Held senior management roles at Freestate Industries and Equipment Supply Co.
• 1989 – 1997: Founder, Chairman and CEO, United Waste Systems — built the company through a roll-up strategy until it was ultimately sold in 1997
• 1997 – 2003: Co-founder, Chairman and CEO, United Rentals — founded the company in 1997 and led it as CEO through its early growth years
• 2003 – 2007 (approx.): Chairman, United Rentals — stepped down as CEO at year-end 2003 but continued as chairman for several years
• 2011 – 2021: Founder and CEO, XPO — launched XPO in 2011 and scaled it into a major freight transportation and logistics platform
• 2021 – present: Chair/board leadership in XPO spin-offs — associated with XPO’s separation into GXO Logistics and RXO and served in chair roles for each
• Late 2023 – present: Founder, Chairman and CEO, QXO — officially launched QXO in mid-2024 to build a scaled building-products distribution platform
• 2025: Beacon Roofing Supply acquisition: QXO acquired Beacon Roofing Supply in a deal valued at about $11B including debt — a major early step in Jacobs’ consolidation strategy

Jacobs also recently authored two books:

• How to Make a Few Billion Dollars – published in January 2024; and
• How to Make a Few More Billion Dollars – newly published in December 2025

On Dec. 12, GXO announced the appointment of Bart Beeks to the newly created role of COO — four months after the company appointed Patrick Kelleher as its new CEO.

“When we completed the GXO spin-off, I committed to staying on for three years as chairman. 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,” Jacobs concluded.

Besides landing Beacon, QXO has made offers to acquire electrical supplies distributor Rexel in 2024 and GMS earlier this year before the latter was bought by The Home Depot.