Chris’ story
When Chris Fergus founded Ava nine years ago, he saw a simple but urgent gap in the market: global secure logistics, done properly.
Ava moves high-value consignments for some of the world’s most demanding clients, including central banks, humanitarian organisations, and precious metals refiners. These aren’t everyday shipments. They often involve multimillion-pound assets, politically sensitive destinations, and tight, high-risk timelines.
It’s a space that has been traditionally dominated by two incumbents – businesses which Chris says are plagued by legacy tech, patchy service, and complacent cultures.
“We saw a chance to do something better – to build a secure logistics platform that clients could really trust,” says Chris. “But we also knew it would take time. This is a relationship business. Reputation is everything.”
Scaling a global proposition, one route at a time
In the early years, Ava operated like a precision unit. The team was small, the proposition sharp, and every client win hard-earned.
“We started with 11 people and about £7 million in EBITDA. We had to be surgical and prove ourselves in one market, then another, then another.”
But behind the scenes, Chris was already thinking about long-term scale. “We always had a platform mindset. How do we build something that’s operationally tight, data-rich, and trusted by the best clients in the world?”
That mindset paid off. Over the next five years, Ava expanded its global reach, built its compliance and tech infrastructure, and steadily climbed the ranks to eventually become the third-largest secure logistics player in the world.
Remarkably, it all happened organically. “No roll-ups, no bolt-ons. Just growth through capability, culture and service.”
Choosing a partner who ‘gets it’
In 2021, Chris and the Ava team made the decision to bring on a growth partner. They wanted someone who could help formalise the platform, without slowing them down. After speaking to multiple investors, Phoenix stood out.
“They had an entrepreneurial culture, which we respected. But more importantly, they had this rare ability to listen, understand what we were trying to do, and then back us to do it. From day one, it felt like a partnership.”
Phoenix got to work quickly, embedding key commercial talent, including a roving CFO and providing strategic advice. “They made us better, not just bigger,” says Chris.
One of the pivotal moves during Phoenix’s tenure was to expand Ava’s leadership bench.
“We were encouraged to invest in capability. That meant hiring a proper Chief Commercial Officer, expanding our regional leadership, and giving real accountability to the next layer of the business.”
For Chris, that shift was both strategic and personal. “I started this business. For a long time, I had my hands on everything. But if you want a business that can survive and thrive without you, you’ve got to let go.”
Phoenix supported that transition with calm clarity. “There was never any ego. They just wanted what was right for the business.”
A successful exit and a founder steps back
After four years of partnership, and significant growth, Ava attracted interest from multiple strategic buyers. The business was recently acquired by a US-based, PE-backed logistics group with global ambitions.
“It was the right move at the right time. We were ready,” says Chris. “We’d gone from 11 to 35 people. From £7m to over £25m EBITDA. And we’d built a reputation that meant we could choose our future.”
With the deal complete, Chris has now made the decision to step back. “It’s emotional. But I’m leaving the business in great hands. We’ve built a platform, a team, a culture – and now Ava gets to go even further.”
