Raj Subramaniam G’89, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of FedEx Corporation, will discuss his career, his vast experiences as an international leader and the role Syracuse University played in his successes during a conversation-style event at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3.
The event is open only to University students, faculty and staff.
Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter will moderate the conversation with Subramaniam, who will share how his time on campus prepared him to become a global leader at FedEx, explore areas where future Syracuse University graduates can make an impact and more. After the interactive conversation, audience members can participate in a Q&A with Subramaniam.
Raj Subramaniam G’89, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Corporation, will discuss his career as an international leader and the role Syracuse University played in his successes during an April 26 event on campus.
“Syracuse was my first point of entry in the U.S., and the first place I was able to fully immerse myself in American culture,” says Subramaniam, who earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS).
“This campus holds a special place in my heart, and I am honored to return to share my career experiences with students.”
Over the last 50 years, FedEx has built a well-connected network linking 220 countries and territories around the world. FedEx was also responsible for delivering the COVID-19 vaccine around the world.
With more than 30 years of industry experience at FedEx, one of the world’s largest transportation companies, Subramaniam’s forward-thinking, innovative ways have helped revolutionize the transportation and logistics industry.
“Whenever you can bring in an international leader as accomplished as Raj to Syracuse University, this is a terrific opportunity for our campus community to learn from one of the brightest minds at the intersection of business, technology and logistics. This is going to be a fascinating conversation, one that I’m excited to moderate,” Provost Ritter says.
Among the recent innovations under Subramaniam’s leadership is revitalizing FedEx’s operating strategy, profitably growing the company’s e-commerce business and harnessing the power of global supply chain data.
Subramaniam’s international leadership experience, sharp business insights and emphasis on globalization provided a blueprint for FedEx’s digital transformation while staying true to the company’s commitment to logistics, sustainability and reliability.
“One of the key things we emphasize to our students is that our programs teach key elements to success, including but not limited to rigorous technical material. We emphasize the elements of leadership, problem-solving, and communication necessary for a broad range of careers. Raj’s engineering education provided him the creativity and flexibility of thought needed to tackle the fascinating challenges facing a company like FedEx. He is a fantastic example of where an ECS degree can take you and why a STEM background is so valuable for leaders,” says J. Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Subramaniam earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology. After his time at Syracuse, where he also served as captain of a Syracuse cricket club that he helped form, he earned a master’s degree in business administration from The University of Texas at Austin.
He currently serves on the board of directors of the Procter & Gamble Company, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s China Center Advisory Board, U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum and the U.S.-China Business Council. He is also a member of the U.S.-India CEO Forum.
In 2023, Subramaniam received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the highest civilian award presented to the Indian diaspora, in recognition of outstanding achievements in India and abroad.
