Kinaxia Logistics has appointed Kathryn Robinson as HR director, as part of a wider management team refresh, linked to the group’s drive for growth.
Robinson brings more than 20 years’ experience in multi-site people and culture development to her new role at Kinaxia, joining the group from Navigator Tissue UK, where she was HR director for more than eight years.
She joins the company’s executive leadership team, which includes chief executive Graham Cox; chief operating officer Allan Blakeley; chief financial officer Ben Warrillow;and Simon Nelson, Kinaxia’s contract logistics managing director.
CEO Graham Cox also joined Kinaxia from Navigator Tissue UK, in March this year, when he replaced Michael Conroy who departed after just 15 months at the helm, during which he took the company through a financial restructure.
In her new post Robinson will focus on instilling a culture of service excellence, enabling the conditions for employees to develop, thrive and reach their potential.
The group said that this, together with the evolution of the Kinaxia employer brand, underpins the company’s commitment to continue to attract, engage and retain the best talent in the sector.
Robinson will also champion people development and performance, promote innovation, lead internal communications and prioritise the One Kinaxia strategy, which promotes a unified approach based around the company’s business values and goals.
Graham Cox said: “Since joining Kinaxia in April, one of my key focus areas has been to finalise our executive leadership team to ensure we meet our strategic goals by aligning the right talent with the right roles.
“Kathryn brings a wealth of experience in people management and talent development. She was instrumental in transforming the culture and employer brand of Accrol – now Navigator Tissue UK – which culminated in the business winning anaccolades at the Business Culture Awards in 2024.
“Her appointment now completes our executive leadership team. We will guide the business through our next phase of growth and development as we build upon the incredible potential within Kinaxia to drive it forward.”
Robinson said: “I’m passionate about helping organisations to create the conditions for their people to grow and realise their potential, as well as facilitating the development of teams.
“It’s far more than being just about engagement and wellbeing – it’s about the creation of a great working environment.
“The opportunity at Kinaxia to bring a fresh perspective in a new industry for me was too good to pass up.
“In my new role, I look forward to playing my part in supporting and developing our people, with a great colleague experience at the heart of everything we do. In turn, this strategy will benefit the business as a whole and create additional value for our customers.”
Kinaxia has embarked on a major investment programme for key areas of the business during 2025, as part of a strategy of engaging more closely with customers and focusing on technology, service excellence, talent retention and sustainability.
Headquartered in Cheshire, Kinaxia has 1,600 staff nationwide and operates a fleet of 1,000 vehicles transporting goods for the retail, leisure, food and drink and manufacturing sectors.
The company’s national network of hubs provides a full source-to-shelf logistics service. It also has 2.7 million sq ft of strategic national warehousing facilities offering contract packing, e-fulfilment, returns management, storage services and a complete distribution service.
