patrick macdonald
  • School for CEOs Team

Patrick Macdonald

Founding Partner


Patrick Macdonald has gained extensive international experience and expertise during his 35 years in business. He started his professional career at the Ministry of Defence before working for Unilever and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), based in Germany and the UK. Patrick then joined General Electric (GE) in the USA before returning to the UK and becoming CEO of John Menzies plc, a large quoted, family-backed logistics company. He has subsequently led a number of private equity-sponsored businesses, including waste management firm Reconomy.

A Founding Partner of the School for CEOs, Patrick is Chair of call answering service Moneypenny and facilities management business Arcus FM. He is a director of NatureSpace Partnership, an environmental consultancy, and an angel investor in a number of startup companies.

Patrick holds a first class Honours degree in Engineering Science from Oxford University and an MBA with Distinction from INSEAD in France. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Chartered Manager, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute. He is also a Sainsbury Management Fellow.

Patrick is Chair of the Institute of Directors and Vice-Chair of the Scottish Advisory Committee of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE). He enjoys a number of pastimes, usually with his family, including watersports (rowing, sailing and canoeing), running, hillwalking and ‘extreme’ gardening – his description of horticulture in Edinburgh!


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