Former RHA chief executive Richard Burnett has led a management buyout of Nottingham-based transport, storage and logistics firm KB Event, with the aim of making the company the leading logistics partner to the live entertainment industry.
KB Event, which was founded in 1992 by Stuart McPherson, operates out of the UK and Ireland, supporting concerts, world tours, festivals, exhibitions and corporate events with trucking, managed logistics, storage, project management and customs services.
Announcing the MBO, the company said its chief executive Richard Burnett, who joined KB Event in 2022, led the transaction.
Burnett has over 41 years’ experience in logistics, including senior roles at Wincanton, Samworth Bros, and seven years as chief executive of the RHA.
His leadership team includes sales director Matt Jackson, who has a track record for building strong, long-term client relationships in the live events sector.
The team also includes board member and investor Bob Harbey, who spent over 30 years as a major shareholder and director at Microlise.
Harbey previously worked with Burnett as co-founders of Road to Logistics, a non-profit set up to provide fully funded programmes across the UK that help people facing barriers to employment to obtain the skills and qualifications needed to build a successful career in logistics.
H2 Equity Partners is a major co-investor, which KB Event said will bring “significant financial backing alongside deep operational expertise” to the company.
Founder Stuart McPherson retains a minority shareholding and remains an advisor to the board.
Richard Burnett said:“Today marks a significant milestone in the thirty plus year history of KB Event. We would all like to thank Stuart and his wife Leanne for all of the years of hard work and dedication they have put into KB Event since it’s founding.
“Stuart has a reputation second to none in the live events sector and he has been instrumental in building a highly successful company with an unparalleled reputation for service, adaptability & innovation.”
“The new leadership team have exciting plans for the future – we will be focused on pushing the company to new heights, not only in terms of how and where we operate, but also in extending the range of services we offer to our clients.
“It is our goal to become the logistics partner of choice to the live entertainment industry, trusted to consistently deliver world-class supply chain services globally.”
