Big Yellow Group chief executive officer Jim Gibson has informed the board of his intention to retire from the business.
Gibson, who was a co-founder of the business and has served as CEO since 2003, will step down from 20 July 2026 following the company’s annual general meeting and will be replaced by chief operating officer (COO) John Hunter.
Hunter, who joined the group in April 2024 as COO and joined the board in July 2025, served as UK COO at HomeServe and held senior management roles at Dixons Carphone prior to joining the self-storage company.
Nicholas Vetch, executive chair of Big Yellow Group, said: “Jim has, with the able assistance of the company’s senior management, been the critical force in putting the company into the market leading position it now holds. He has been thoughtful, strategic, bold when appropriate, cautious when necessary, and above all has commanded the respect and affection of his colleagues over his long tenure.
“The planning for this transition has been nearly four years in the making. John has had two years with the company, and it has become abundantly clear that he has all the operational, financial and strategic skills to lead us in the next stage of our evolution. Most importantly he has proved to be an excellent cultural fit. The board, our CFO John Trotman, and I look forward to working with John Hunter over the coming years as we continue to grow our market leading business.”
Gibson added: “We started in a 600 sq ft office in September 1998, in Bagshot in our 30s, with an idea and property and real estate financial skills. The journey from there, working closely with Nick, all the leaders throughout the business and other partners, to build Big Yellow into a £2bn market cap UK self-storage brand leader has been a privilege and is without doubt the proudest achievement of my business career.
“This success does not happen without a great team and culture of which we are also very proud. We have steered Big Yellow through several macro crises, delivered compounded growth over a long period and demonstrated the resilience of our business model. Big Yellow has been part of my life for a very long time and, although I leave with some sadness, it is always important to plan for succession. I have full confidence in Nick and both Johns to successfully deliver our business plan and to take Big Yellow forward while rewarding all stakeholders.”
Hunter said: “I am honoured to be appointed the next chief executive. Big Yellow is a fantastic business, with an exceptional team and culture. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the group to date and I very much look forward to working with Nick, John and the rest of the team to drive continued success and growth for the business in the years ahead.”
Trotman added: “It has been a great pleasure to have known and worked with Jim for over 25 years. I have learnt so much from him over that time and I wish him every happiness in his well-deserved retirement. I very much look forward to continuing to work with Nick and John on delivering on our strategy over the coming years.”
