In an atypical move, C.H. Robinson’s chief operating officer — its No. 2 — is becoming its chief strategy and innovation officer.
The reasoning? C.H. Robinson has leveraged its investments in technology and innovation to become the world’s largest third-party logistics firm. But to keep its place at the top of the logistics industry, the Eden Prairie-based company must maintain a strategic focus on innovation and continually improving technology.
So as Dave Bozeman finishes his first year as CEO, Arun Rajan, the COO turned CSIO, views his role as a disruptor, constantly looking for new ways to solve problems.
“There’s potential to disrupt every industry, and my entire career has been spent with disruptors,” Rajan said. “I find myself in a unique position now to disrupt within an incumbent using all the learnings and strategies that I have honed during my time with disruptors.”
Rajan joined C.H. Robinson in 2021 as chief product officer after executive roles at Whole Foods Market and Zappos while both were owned by Amazon.
When Rajan became COO in 2022, he began solidifying the foundation of the company and aligning its business goals with digital investments. Now in his new role, he’s ready to take some of Robinson’s digital operating structures and integrate them into the company’s core operations. The right mix of automation and technology, he said, will make transactions more efficient.
“When I joined C.H. Robinson a few years ago, I knew the industry was in the midst of transformation, with so much potential for innovation,” he said. “It’s very similar to the journey of several consumer-facing companies that I’ve been part of, since the advent of the internet, where these companies materially changed the customer experience and disrupted the status quo.”
The following is a transcript of an interview with Rajan, edited for length and clarity.