Logistics startup Flexport Inc. Chief Executive Dave Clark today announced that he’s resigning from the company after just one year as the boss.

Clark joined Flexport after serving Amazon.com Inc. for a period of 23 years, helping the e-commerce giant build its massive logistics network. He joined Amazon back in 1999 as an operations manager, just two years after the company’s initial public offering. He later became a general manager and then became Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations – an impressive resume for Clark, who once said he’s a “builder at heart.”

He joined Flexport last September as co-CEO, running the company with its founder, Ryan Petersen. They spent six months together, and then in March, Clark took full hold of the reins, and Petersen stepped aside. Clark later went on something of a hiring spree. In May, he was behind the acquisition of the logistics arms of the retail giant Shopify Inc.

Petersen apparently wasn’t ready to retire out of the limelight or perhaps didn’t like how his company was being run. “Today, Ryan and I discussed his desire to return to focusing on growth in the core freight business,” Clark wrote in a post on X, formerly called Twitter Inc. “In light of that, I feel that he is best suited to lead the company in that direction. As such, I will be resigning from my position at Flexport.”

He added that he’s “proud” of what he’s done and that company founders “have a right to change their mind.” Peterson also took his X account simply announcing, “I’m back!!!” also posting the note he sent to employees about the change at the top.

As for where Clark will go from here, it seems from the messy world of logistics, he’s planning to jump into the much messier world of politics. The Wall Street Journal reported that Clark has already hired political consultants who will advise him on what could be a 2026 run for governor of Texas, with an aim to replace the third-term Republican, Greg Abbott. A fourth term would be unprecedented in Texas history, so Clark, said to be a moderate Republican, may spoil the record-breaking party.

Photo: Flexport