The company said Williams’ position of executive general manager of print and distribution had been phased out and that chief executive Richard Allely was now taking “direct control of the Australian print and distribution businesses”.

The restructuring is based on an ongoing review PMP initiated “in response to difficult market conditions”.

Williams, who had been in the role for more than two years, “performed quite well” and left on “very amicable terms”, Allely told ProPrint.

“Andrew’s departure had nothing to do with performance. This was a decision that we made to drive a transformation of the Australian print business,” he said.

The aim of the restructure was to give Allely a more direct influence on print and distribution – the largest part of PMP’s business – according to Allely.

“It says to customers that we’re about driving the business to become the lowest-cost producer and to remove as many layers as possible so we get closer to clients and much closer to the operations,” he said.

Allely told ProPrint he was confident Williams’ departure would not trigger any resignations. Allely added he had received “an enormous show of support from the staff” since announcing the restructure.

Williams returned to PMP in 2009, two years after resigning as head of the company’s Victorian print division. He originally joined PMP in 1990.

PMP missed its half-yearly earnings forecast and is also thought to have written of millions of dollars when its order for a 96pp Lithoman web press was caught up in the Manroland insolvency.

However, Allely denied they had anything to do with Williams’ departure.

“This isn’t a decision made looking in the rear-view mirror. This is a decision made looking in the windscreen.”

One of PMP’s senior management team is expected to step into a new role closely assisting Allely.

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