FedEx’s Richard Smith to participate in main fireside chat at Cargo Facts Symposium 2026

Richard Smith, chief operating officer of international and chief executive of airline at FedEx, will participate in the Cargo Facts Symposium 2026 for a fireside chat to discuss the express company’s significant strategic changes, fleet strategy and management.

Smith’s session, a one-on-one discussion with a Cargo Facts moderator, will take place on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 10:15 a.m. (GMT-5) at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville, Tenn.

The 32nd annual Cargo Facts Symposium will take place on Oct. 21-23 and will address the latest trends and developments in the freighter sector, including insights on the industry growth trajectory for 2027 and beyond.

View the Cargo Facts Symposium 2026 agenda.

Smith also serves on the FedEx executive committee and was elected to the company’s board of directors in September 2025.

He previously served as president and CEO of FedEx Express, regional president of FedEx Americas and vice president of global support for the express company.

FedEx took delivery of the last 767-300F it had ordered from Boeing on May 28. The production unit (67549) is the 150th 767 freighter FedEx has received from the U.S. planemaker.

The express company announced this month its collaboration with China Southern Air Logistics. The carriers will explore ways to optimize their global freighter fleet and route networks, while highlighting the strategic position of their base in Guangzhou (CAN).

FedEx has returned two more MD-11Fs (48476 and 48748) to service after resuming operations with two of its PW4000-powered trijets (48792 and 48478) in May, the first time any MD-11Fs had flown since the FAA grounded the type in November 2025.

In 2025, Richard Smith’s father, FedEx founder Fred Smith, was scheduled to appear at Cargo Facts Symposium, but died in June that year.

Find out more about Cargo Facts Symposium 2026 and register by Sept. 4 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.