Bluestar’s new CEO needs to ‘turn on a dime.’

Inheriting the hotseat at one of the industry’s largest private equity-owned printing companies, Phillip Bower emphasises the need for management to be able to respond quickly to changing circumstances.

The former private equity director identifies himself as a professional CEO, having run major companies for at least 20 years. He believes the printing industry’s challenges are little different from those of many other industries.

“The printing industry is under attack. It is going through a period of dynamic technology change, but it is no different from many others,” he said in his first industry interview since taking the chair just over a month ago. “I believe business is about finding out your customers’ needs and meeting them.”

His experience extends to running a private equity owned diversified industrial conglomerate, MCK Group. Bower (pictured) admits running such companies is different from operating under a corporate structure.

“You have a lot more latitude in a corporation. With private equity you have less headroom. There is a higher level of debt and it requires a different way of managing. It is a little harder and you have to be able to turn on a dime if the circumstances change,” he said.

He describes his main strengths as being in sales and marketing and is about to embark on his second business review tour of the company’s 15 plants in Australia and NZ.

“I’m really pleased and impressed by the quality of our plant and people,” he said. “The company is in very good shape.”

While admitting he knows little about the printing technology in the plants he maintains a CEO doesn’t need to focus on the technicalities. “I have good people here who understand what’s required.”

He identifies excess capacity and the arrival of digital technology as some of the main challenges. Bluestar is perhaps the most diverse printing company in the industry, encompassing web, sheetfed, and digital printing in addition to an advanced marketing services culture.

According to Bower there is money available for buying equipment but he will not commit himself yet as to where it will go. “At this stage I need to spend more time meeting our customers and finding out their needs. I also want to identify where we are spinning our wheels, expending energy in activities that are not for the customer.”

He denies any plans for further staff reductions, while not ruling out making changes where necessary.

Former Bluestar CEO, Chris Mitchell, identified himself as an IT professional. Philip Bower presents as a professional CEO with an emphasis on marketing and sales. The industry will be watching keenly to see what changes the new man brings to one of the industry’s iconic brands.