London/UK – 1 July 2025
DHL Express has announced the appointment of John Cornish as UK CEO from 1 July 2025. Moving from the role of CEO DHL Express Central Europe, Cornish brings over four decades of experience to the UK role. Cornish takes over from Ian Wilson, who steps down after 9 years at the helm and will be leaving the DHL Group at the end of 2025 to move abroad.
Since 2017, John has led DHL Express Central Europe, overseeing 26 markets and delivering significant growth through investment in people, infrastructure, and services. Having joined DHL Express in 1984, his international career has included leadership positions across Europe, Asia, and the US. This wealth of experience will be used to continue to strengthen the UK market position.
In the UK role, Cornish will continue to report to Mike Parra, CEO DHL Express Europe who says: “John has a proven track record of driving performance and delivering customer-focused growth. His global experience and deep knowledge of the business make him the ideal person to lead the UK through its next chapter, building on the strong foundations left by Ian Wilson.”
Parra adds: “We’re incredibly grateful to Ian for his many years of service. His leadership through Brexit and the pandemic has helped shape a resilient and successful UK business. Ian leaves DHL Express UK in a strong position for future growth, with customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and market share all significantly improved under his leadership.”
John Cornish says: “The UK is an important market for DHL, with an ambitious business community that punches above its weight on the global stage, and a highly qualified, motivated team in DHL Express who are passionate about supporting customer growth. My focus will be on continuing to strengthen DHL's market position, enhancing our infrastructure, developing our people, and delivering innovative solutions that exceed customer expectations. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead."