Leading companies in the international express, parcels and postal industries, including FedEx,Japan Post and New Zealand Post, have announced executive and senior managerial appointments during
October and early November.FedEx has appointed William J. Logue as the new president of FedEx Freight, the company’sroad trucking business.
He will succeed Douglas G. Duncan who is retiring on 28 February 2010. To facilitate a smoothtransition, Logue will serve as president of FedEx Freight beginning December 1, 2009, and willassume the CEO role after Duncan’s retirement.
In his new position, Logue will be responsible for the leadership and strategic direction ofthe FedEx Freight Segment, which includes FedEx Freight, FedEx National LTL and FedEx CustomCritical.
Logue joined FedEx Express in 1989 through the Flying Tiger acquisition. He is currently theCOO and Executive Vice President at FedEx Express responsible for FedEx Express Air Operations, AirGround and Freight Services, Central Support Services and Domestic Ground Operations Divisions.
“Bill’s demonstrated ability to lead complex organizations and his in-depth transportoperations experience make him an excellent choice as the new president and CEO of the FedExFreight Segment,” said Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and chief executive officer of FedExCorp. “I want to recognise Doug Duncan for his many contributions in helping FedEx build ourexcellent LTL services. These capabilities have strengthened the FedEx portfolio and I am confidentthat Bill’s leadership will further enhance our performance in this key market.”
Meanwhile, Jiro Saito (73) has replaced Yoshifumi Nishikawa as Japan Post CEO following thelatter’s resignation under political pressure from the new postal minister Shizuka Kamei whoopposes postal privatisation. At the same time, several Japan Post board members have beenreplaced.
Saito, a former Vice Finance Minister and most recently president of Tokyo Financial ExchangeInc., is expected to focus on Japan Post’s role as a public service provider, and especially theuse of regional post offices to offer public services. The new government has said it will reviewthe planned gradual privatisation of the giant postal and financial services group.
The ousted CEO Nishikawa played a leading role in pushing the state-owned postal enterprisetoward the private sector in line with the strategy drawn up by the former Prime Minister JunichiroKoizumi. They had planned to start selling shares next year in the Japan Post holding company andthe banking and insurance subsidiaries.
Separately, New Zealand Post has named Brian Roche the new CEO as of January 1, 2010. Hereplaces John Allen who left New Zealand Post at the end of June 2009 to become Chief Executive andSecretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In the meantime, Kiwibank CEO Sam Knowles has been ActingGroup Chief Executive.
Roche, who was chosen following a worldwide search, has occupied a wide variety of leadershiproles in New Zealand. He is currently a Senior Partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and wasproject manager for the successful bid to host the Rugby World Cup 2011.
“He has a highly impressive leadership record with widely respected expertise in governance,management and operations. It is exactly this combination of skills and experience that we need tolead of the New Zealand Post Group into its next area,” said the company’s chairman Hon JimBolger.
