The winds of change 23 March 2011
Major movement this week with new CEO of SEMA, while PMP appoints general manager of print in its Perth division and another fresh face joins Starleaton.
Management seachange at SEMA
Keith Hunter is the new CEO of the SEMA Group. He succeeds Alexander van der Laan (pictured), who is now executive chairman of SEMA.
Mr van der Laan announced that Hunter was his chosen successor. Hunter joined the direct marketing, consulting and IT business solutions group more than three years ago as CFO.
“Keith has shown himself to possess all the skills, care and emotional intelligence to run a big company like ours. He brings the right mix, as only he could, of change and continuity,” said Mr van der Laan.
Hunter said that he is privileged and delighted to take up the role and outlined what the market would expect to see from his leadership.
“Our competitors can expect us to compete as ever but with even more focus and an increased emphasis on harnessing our IT and service prowess and problem solving skills to put us in a class of one.”
Mr van der Laan was SEMA’s CEO for over a decade. He said that he will act as a check and balance on issues of strategy and performance and provide counsel and support on the big issues in his new role as executive chairman.
“We are on the pathway to being a great business and a formidable competitor, and I will continue to guide that,” he said. “This is, and remains, a family affair.”
PMP appoints Perth print head
Australia’s largest printer, PMP, has appointed Clinton Willis to the position of general manager, print and distribution Western Australia.
Willis will take up the role immediately following a handover with the outgoing general manager, Alan Clyne who is leaving the business to take up an executive role with News Limited in Perth.
“Clinton is a perfect fit for this role with a strong senior management background in Print and the commercial profile to allow us to grow our Western Australian market,” executive general manager, Andrew Williams said.
Willis has been appointed to the position following an extensive executive search both within Australia and overseas. According to Williams, the position had created very real interest across the industry and was very strongly contested.
“It is pleasing that Clinton has proven to been a clear leader against the profile we were seeking,” Williams said.
Mike moves across trans-Tasman
New Zealander Mike Morgan (pictured) has joined Starleaton as Queensland and Northern NSW account manager.
Morgan moved to Queensland with his family in 2007 following a career with Benefitz, where as digital print manager, he introduced HP Scitex five-metre wide roll production and also flatbed UV. Prior to this, he was with Ricoh for years, first as a copier technician, then as copy centre manager and finally buying the copy centre with partners and introducing wide format into the product mix.
“I am looking forward to a new challenge with Starleaton; getting to know the full product range and most importantly helping our customers achieve great results,” Morgan said.
“I am quite confident and determined that my experience in large format production printing and finishing will prove to be of practical value to Starleaton customers as I get out and meet them.”