He will be replaced by Kevin Slaven in July 2013.
Anstice, who joined the group in 1995, will remain with IPMG as a non-executive director, although he told ProPrint he would also keep an eye out for other roles.
“I’m a businessman by nature and will always be a businessman and will pursue opportunities as they may arise, but none that would be in conflict with IPMG.”
Anstice was managing director of Offset Alpine Printing when it was taken over by the Hannan Group, as IPMG was then called.
He was appointed chief executive of the printing business shortly after and then became chief executive of the entire group in 2009.
“I joined the industry almost 20 years ago and have had the good fortune to work with an outstanding group of colleagues and together we have formed Australia’s best print and marketing services group. I think this is the right time to make the transition to new leadership,” he said.
Anstice told ProPrint that the highlight of his time as chief executive had been the “discovery and development of a great range of talented people”. He said the decline in the advertising market had posed his biggest challenge.
[Related: Anstice named in 2012 ProPrint Power 50]
Executive chairman Michael Hannan thanked Anstice for his “strong leadership and integrity” and many years of “drive and vision”.
“Stephen has achieved a tremendous amount during his time at IPMG. He and his talented team have managed the transformation of the printing business through the many challenges associated with the recent structural changes in the industry,” said Hannan.
“His legacy is to hand over a business that is poised to reap the benefits from the foresight and transformation under Stephen’s stewardship.”
Hannan said IPMG had been planning for the succession and the timing fit in well with Hannanprint’s move to Warwick Farm.
Slaven, who is also company secretary, joined IPMG in 2000 as chief financial officer.
Hannan said Slaven combined “strong leadership capability” with “deep experience in the day-to-day management of IPMG’s varied operations”.
“He has been an active member of the senior management team at IPMG and has been instrumental in the evolution of the group over the past 12 years,” he said.
“Kevin has been closely involved with the commercial operations of the business and sits on the board of many of the subsidiary companies within the group.”
[Related: Ups and downs of IPMG]
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