Fred Smith envisioned FedEx during his time as an undergrad at Yale. By 1973 his school project had become a functioning business. He's been a part of the organization ever since. But on June 1st he'll step down from the role of CEO and transition to FedEx Executive Chairman.

Taking the reins at the Fortune 500 giant is current President and COO, Raj Subramaniam. In his first interview with a major media outlet, Raj tells Leadership Next how he came to FedEx, and how he's thinking about filling the shoes of a legendary CEO.

Also in today's conversation: why the company stopped delivering packages for Amazon, the role FedEx played in delivering crucial COVID-19 supplies, and how technology will impact FedEx operations in the future.