The Bath-based CEO and co-founder of eCommerce fulfilment success story Huboo is to step back from its day-to-day operations, having built it into a major European business with more than 700 employees in just seven years.
Martin Bysh, who co-founded the firm with chief innovation officer Paul Dodd with two safe storage lockers in Bath, is to stand down as CEO in three months but will continue as a board member.
Martin, pictured, will be replaced in the CEO role by Andrew Pinnington, a widely experienced business leader with a track record of successfully running complex public and private venture-backed businesses across the technology, retail, fast-moving consumer goods and consulting sectors.
Ahead of him joining Huboo, which is now headquartered in Bristol, a further undisclosed investment has received by Huboo in a funding round led by existing backer, Emirati-based sovereign fund Mubadala Capital and supported by all the firm’s current major investors.
Over recent years Huboo, which is Bath Rugby’s eCommerce partner, has raised around $150m in a number of investment rounds, which have helped fuel its rapid growth.
It has also opened a 106,000 sq ft warehouse, its largest in the UK, close to junction 17 of the M4 near Chippenham.
Last year it chalked up annual revenue growth of 130% after winning new business worth more than £20m and adding 1,100 new clients.
Serial tech entrepreneur Martin, who had been president and CTO at market research technology pioneer Maru/Usurv, and Paul Dodd, who had spent 20 years with consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble, set out from day one withb Huboo to ‘democratise’ fulfilment, creating a new, human-centric warehouse ‘hub’ model supported by smart technology to fundamentally lower the cost of essential fulfilment services and help fledgling eCommerce brands grow. 
They were also determined to break from the industry’s poor track record on warehouse working conditions and job satisfaction.
Business boomed before, during and after the pandemic as the firm rode the wave of the home shopping and eCommerce revolutions.
By helping smaller brands that had been struggling to secure fulfilment services elsewhere, Huboo was able to significantly expand the total addressable market for fulfilment.
Martin said: “I’m a tech entrepreneur who was seduced by a revolutionary operational opportunity, and it’s been wonderful working with Paul and our team to seize the moment and realise our vision for Huboo.
“Most importantly, we’ve built Huboo in a way that has not only delivered massive growth, but has created better jobs for warehouse workers and established a dynamic, positive workplace culture – practically unheard of in fulfilment.
“It’s been an honour to serve, but I’ve always known that I wasn’t the person to take the company into its next growth phase.
“We’ve spent many months scouring the market for the ideal replacement, and in Andrew Pinnington, we’ve landed upon a brilliant leader with all of the right experience running complex global businesses.
“Passing the reins over to Andrew means I’ll be able to focus more time on my family, my various board and advisory roles and hopefully a few new hobbies, safe in the knowledge that Huboo is in the very best hands.”
After successful early-career stints at Bain & Co and Pepsico, Andrew Pinnington made his name at Carphone Warehouse, where he spent 12 years in charge of operations as the business scaled from a small private company through to a flotation and eventual joint venture with Best Buy.
He has also held several leadership positions in rapidly expanding venture-backed enterprises over the last 10 years, including stints at MyTaxi, Bikeshak, Itch and Beat.
