Raj Subramaniam to take charge as FedEx Corp's Prez, COO

Feb 15, 2019: FedEx Corporation has appointed Raj Subramaniam as president and chief operating officer (COO), effective March 1. The announcement was followed by David J Bronczek's personal decision to retire from the position and board. The 64-year old had been with FedEx since 1976, serving in several key executive roles.

Subramaniam, 52, will continue to serve as the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of FedEx Express and will also serve as co-president and co-CEO of FedEx Services. The latest change in the organisation positions Subramaniam next in command after Frederick W Smith, chairman and CEO of FedEx Corporation, said a FedEx analyst.

"On behalf of the board and management team, we recognise Dave for his years of service to FedEx. FedEx has a deep bench of talent, and I am confident that the transition will be seamless. Raj has significant experience in many areas of our portfolio, which will be vital as he steps into this position," said Smith. 

"Bronczek's decision to retire did not involve any disagreement with FedEx on any matter relating to the company's operations, policies or practices," the company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing. FedEx has entered into a separation and release agreement with Bronczek, which includes a five-year noncompete agreement.

In his 27 years career with FedEx, Subramaniam has held various executive level positions in several operating companies and international regions. He began his career in Memphis and subsequently moved to Hong Kong, where he managed marketing and customer service for the Asia Pacific region. Subramaniam then took over as president of FedEx Express in Canada before moving back to the US as senior vice president of international marketing. He was then promoted to executive vice president of marketing in 2013 at FedEx Services, prior to being named executive vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at FedEx Corporation in 2017.

Subramaniam is responsible for several landmark developments at FedEx, including the first-ever global brand campaign, and a significant expansion of the company's global product portfolio. His team launched customer-focused, value-added services like FedEx Delivery Manager and FedEx One Rate. Under his leadership, FedEx also retains an enviable position as one of Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired Companies.

Born in Trivandrum, Kerala, India, Subramaniam received an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B). He holds two post-graduate degrees in Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from Syracuse University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.