Peter Waterworth retires from PaperlinX

HIs retirment brings to an end a 41-year association with the company. Waterworth was managing director of Spicers Paper when PaperlinX acquired the business in 2001. Utilising his experience in Spicers' merchanting he was appointed to head up the company's major growth area in international merchanting.

During his time PaperlinX consolidated its local merchanting operations and expanded rapidly overseas, increasing its merchanting presence in the USA and Asia, and launching into Europe. Overseas trading now accounts for the larger part of PaperlinX revenue. His resignation becomes effective on November 1, 2004.

Industry sources expected him to be in line for the PaperlinX managing director’s job which went to outsider Thomas Park on the retirement of Ian Whightwick.

As a result of Waterworth’s retirement the businesses he controlled will now report to Thomas Park who is also chief executive officer. Commenting on the announcement Park said “Peter has been a valued and respected member of the senior management team of PaperlinX. We have strong management teams in our regional merchanting businesses, and the current change in reporting lines are a logical extension of the development of our global paper merchanting platform.”