PMP CEO Peter George will step down at the end of the month instead of next year, with former IPMG CEO Kevin Slaven coming on as an interim replacement on December 1.
The company says George and the board were planning for his retirement in 2018, having passed the age of 65, and were working through a considered succession planning programme, however his retirement has been accelerated following a tragic family bereavement.
The quietly spoken George became CEO five years ago, and has taken PMP through a period of massive restructuring, latterly steering the company through its mega-merger with IPMG, moving through initial ACCC resistance. His tenure has seen PMP’s share price climb steadily from a floor of 18c up to 77c.
Matthew Bickford-Smith, chairman, PMP, says, “It has been a privilege to work with Peter. His disciplined focus on efficiency and cash generation have secured PMP’s future. The merger with IPMG could not have been achieved without Peter’s vision and leadership. We offer our deepest condolences to him and his family at this difficult time.
“Given Peter’s original intention to retire next year, we had already begun the succession planning process, which will now be accelerated. A thorough search of external and internal candidates is well advanced and should be completed by the end of the calender year when a permanent employment will be made. To assist the transition the company and Peter have agreed for him to remain engaged as a consultant.”
Slaven says, “I look forward to building on the strong foundations that Peter George and the board have put together following the merger. Much of the integration has been done. The next step is to complete the integration, the phase two initiatives, and leverage PMP’s position as the pre-eminent print media and marketing services company in Australasia."
Slaven joined PMP following the IPMG merger, and is currently responsible for distribution and marketing services in PMP, and was CEO of IPMG from July 2013 up until the merger. He is also the deputy chair of the Australasian Catalogue Association.
Bickford Smith says, “Kevin is a well-respected and highly effective leader in the industry with a strong track record of managing integrated print and distribution. We are fortunate to have someone with his experience of print leadership and knowledge of our business to step in at short notice."
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