Rebounding market will deliver 10% growth, says new Konica Minolta MD

David Cooke said his boss, global executive director Jun Haraguchi, had made it clear he wanted "growth across the region" when appointing him to the role.

"There's a constant thirst for growth from the head office coming out to us all the time," Cooke told ProPrint.

"When I asked him why he appointed me, he told me: 'I know you're going to make some changes. I know you're going to do some good things. I know you're going to go for growth.'"

That target applies to all of Konica Minolta's Australian business, which is about 25% commercial printing and 75% office printing.

Cooke said Haraguchi's target was realistic given that sales had noticeably improved in the first three months of 2013.

[Feature: Konica Minolta at PacPrint]

"We came off a bit of a flat year last year. There wasn't a lot of growth. But the start we've made to this year and the pipeline ahead is the healthiest I've seen it in a long, long while," he said.

"Speaking to some of our clients about some of their plans, they're about growth. They're saying now is the time for us to start expanding and reinvesting."

Cooke is Konica Minolta Australia's first locally born managing director. He said he had also become the first non-Japanese manager to report to Haraguchi, the third most senior person in the global organisation, after a new reporting structure was implemented.

Haraguchi will keep a close eye on Australia and may implement some Australian policies in other countries, said Cooke.

He may also one day give Australia new regional responsibilities, such as a second-level regional support centre, he added.

Konica Minolta Australia has about 400 permanent staff and another 100 semi-permanent contractors, said Cooke.

Cooke will start his new role on 1 May.

[Related: More job news]

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