Sent by his father from Northern Ireland to study business at the University of Bradford in the 1980s, Brian Donaldson was lured home by the “aura of the petroleum industry”. It’s an anachronistic allure far from where Gen Z or Alpha graduates will gravitate and far from where Maxol, the fuel and forecourt retailer, is now positioning itself. Last year less than 50 per cent of Maxol’s profits came from its fuel business, as it has strategically moved to minimise its revenue reliance on fuel and instead leverage its roadside locations for retail opportunities. Leading that transition is Donaldson. Founded…

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