UPS has appointed Brendan Canavan, a 31-year UPS veteran, as its new president of the UPS Asia Pacific Region with responsibility for more than 40 countries and territories throughout Asia. Canavan is replacing Derek Woodward, who has returned to the United States to lead a strategic project.
Canavan most recently served as president of UPS’s North-East District in Europe. Based in Brussels, Canavan’s leadership played a role in the transition following UPS’s acquisition of Stolica, a parcel and express delivery service in Poland, and a realignment of UPS’s European operations that brought together 27 countries including Italy, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Romania, Czech Republic and Russia.
“Brendan’s proven track record in a range of key operational functions makes him ideally suited to lead UPS’s Asia Pacific Region, which continues to play an increasingly important role in our growth strategy,” says Dan Brutto, president of UPS International. “His knowledge, experience and strategic insight will be of great value in leading this dynamic and diverse region and ultimately allow us to better serve our customers in Asia and throughout the world.”
Canavan began his UPS career in 1981 as a part-time package loader while attending Villanova University. He was promoted into management following graduation and served in various operational positions before being promoted to package division manager in 1989 in Lawnside, N.J.
Prior to 1998, Canavan worked in UPS’s corporate marketing function, where he played a role in the development of new products in UPS’s U.S. and Canada service portfolios. Between 1998 and 2003, he was promoted several times, first to operations manager in Northern Illinois and then to Upstate New York district manager in 2000. In 2003, he assumed the position of Metro Chicago District Manager.
In 2004, Canavan moved to Louisville, Ky., to manage Worldport, UPS’s global air, where he oversaw the operational integration of Menlo Worldwide Forwarding, which UPS acquired in 2004, and the opening of UPS’s dedicated air freight facility. Canavan began his most recent assignment in 2007 when he moved to Brussels to become president of UPS Europe’s North-East District.
Beyond his many achievements in advancing UPS’s business objectives, Canavan also helped strengthen UPS’s sustainability efforts in the region and expanded local employee volunteer initiatives and other charitable activities. While in Europe, he studied advanced management in the London Business School Executive Leadership Program, graduating in 2011.
