FedEx president and CEO Michael Ducker to retire in August

FedEx Freight president and chief executive Michael Ducker has announced he will be retiring on 15 August, bringing to an end a 40-year career with the express operator, the last four in the top job.

Joining FedEx Express in 1975, he was stationed at the company’s Memphis hub before taking up postings across the US.

At the turn of the 1990s, he accepted his first international post, taking up the role of vice president for southern Europe, based in the Milan office. Shortly thereafter he took over as SVP for South Pacific and Middle East, and then in 1995 he was appointed SVP for Asia/Pacific.

As the century came to a close, Mr Ducker returned to the US as president of international operations at FedEx Express. He would later assume the role of chief operating officer for Express before moving to his current role at FedEx Freight in 2014.

Chief executive of FedEx Corp Frederick Smith said Mr Ducker “answered the call” whenever he was asked. “Whether in Europe, Asia or the Americas, Mike has been a model of our people-service-profit philosophy,” said Mr Smith. “His leadership and strategic instinct have been integral in growing the global business we have today.

“There is no way to pinpoint his greatest accomplishment, but I can tell you it is hard to imagine FedEx without Mike Ducker, the mark of a truly transformational leader.”

No successor has so far been named.