UPDATE: March 8, 2022: Juan Perez will join Salesforce as CIO and a member of the Executive Leadership Team starting April 4. The longtime UPS technology head, Perez will lead the company's business technology organization, Salesforce announced Tuesday.

"After more than 30 years at UPS, I never thought I’d pursue a new career — but joining Salesforce is an honor and the opportunity of a lifetime," said Perez in the announcement.

Dive Brief:

• Longtime UPS technology leader Juan Perez will retire at the end of March, concluding a 32-year career at the shipping giant, the company announced Tuesday.
• Perez became CIO at UPS in 2016 and added chief engineering officer duties in 2017. He worked his way through the ranks of UPS, including an eight-month stint as a UPS driver in Beverly Hills.
• The shipping company is conducting an external search for an EVP and CIO. The company is looking for a CIO with an eye toward the digitization of every area of the company, said Matthew O'Connor, director, media relations, in a statement to CIO Dive.

Dive Insight:

Perez raised the profile of technology at UPS, weaving it into every area of the business. He pushed the evolution of the logistics company into a technology company, allowing it to recruit talent and compete with companies like Google and Apple.

"We need to continue to disrupt ourselves to remain competitive," he said, speaking at a conference in 2018. "If we don't … who will?"

CEO Carol Tomé credited Perez with the creation of the company's Advanced Technology Group, launching smart package efforts and deploying network planning tools, she said in the announcement Tuesday. Perez also boosted information security and helped modernize the company's IT.

Alongside Perez, Scott Price, UPS EVP International, is also retiring at the end of March. As a result, the company is integrating global sales and solutions in the U.S. and international business units, Tomé said.

The incoming UPS CIO will usher in a new era for technology, building on the high profile for technology Perez helped realize.

UPS is not the only company looking for a new CIO. Target is conducting a search to replace EVP and CIO Mike McNamara, who has led the retailer's IT organization since 2015 and plans to retire this year.