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Strategic Advisor·Freight & 3PL

Andrew Clarke

Board Chairman / Board Member at Global Critical Logistics / Arrive Logistics

Austin, TX

AC
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Why they matter

As chairman of Arrive Logistics and a former C.H. Robinson CFO, Clarke has direct, current visibility into freight brokerage economics, platform scaling, and consolidation appetite.

Background

Andrew Clarke is a veteran transportation and logistics executive with more than 20 years of finance and operating leadership, including serving as CFO of C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: CHRW) from 2015-2019, CEO of Panther Expedited Services from 2007-2013, and SVP/CFO of Forward Air Corporation from 2001-2006. He now holds a portfolio of board chairman and director roles spanning freight brokerage, freight forwarding, intermodal equipment, and fleet management. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Notable deals

  • 2021
    Joined Arrive Logistics' board as Chairman as part of ATL Partners' $300M+ growth investment in the freight brokerage
  • 2022
    Named Chairman of Global Critical Logistics, the specialty freight-forwarding parent of Rock-it Global, Dietl International, and Dynamic
  • 2024
    Appointed independent director of LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ: LKQ), a global auto parts and aftermarket supply chain company

Call-prep brief

Background

  • 20+ years in transportation/logistics finance and operations
  • CFO, C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: CHRW), 2015-2019 — helped drive ~$3B revenue growth and $2B returned to shareholders
  • CEO, Panther Expedited Services, 2007-2013
  • SVP & CFO, Forward Air Corporation, 2001-2006
  • MBA, University of Chicago Booth; BSBA, Washington University in St. Louis

Current Focus

  • Board Chairman, Arrive Logistics (ATL Partners-backed brokerage, $300M+ raise in 2021)
  • Board Chairman, Global Critical Logistics (since 2022) and Direct ChassisLink (DCLI)
  • Independent director, LKQ Corporation (since 2024) and Element Fleet Management

What He Cares About

  • Scaling logistics platforms through disciplined M&A and operating rigor learned at C.H. Robinson
  • Freight brokerage technology and margin durability through rate cycles
  • Governance quality across a multi-company chairman portfolio

Recent Moves

  • Joined LKQ's board in July 2024, extending beyond pure freight into auto parts/aftermarket supply chains
  • Continues chairing Arrive Logistics through ATL Partners' hold period

Potential Sensitivities

  • Sits on several competing/adjacent boards (Arrive, GCL, DCLI, LKQ, Element Fleet) — screen for conflicts before sharing deal specifics
  • As an ATL Partners portfolio chairman, may be limited on discussing Arrive's financials or competitive position

Questions to Ask

  1. How is freight brokerage margin resilience holding up across Arrive's book as capacity tightens and loosens?
  2. What did the C.H. Robinson scaling playbook teach him that applies to smaller, tech-enabled brokerage platforms?
  3. Where does he see the next wave of 3PL/asset-light freight consolidation, and what makes a platform attractive to ATL-style capital?

Outreach draft

Subject
Freight Brokerage Perspective From a Board Chair
Hi Andrew, I'm [Name], part of a private equity deal team evaluating opportunities in freight brokerage and third-party logistics. Given your work chairing Arrive Logistics and Global Critical Logistics, plus your years as CFO at C.H. Robinson, I'd value your perspective on where brokerage margins and platform consolidation are headed over the next few years. Would you have 20-30 minutes for a call in the coming weeks? Happy to work around your schedule and can share more on what we're exploring ahead of time if useful. Best, [Name]

Linked companies

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