Visual Print’s MD moves To Solopress
Graham Hunstone, managing director of recently acquired print provider, Visual Print & Design, has been hired as head of partnerships by fellow UK printer, Solopress
Walstead Group has announced a number of changes to its operations in Europe and the UK
Walstead Group has announced a number of changes to its operations and team members including the single management of Walstead Iberia and Walstead UK.
The two businesses will now be managed together as a single west European division of Walstead Group, following similar changes to its Leykam and CE businesses covering Central and Eastern Europe.
These changes mean that the group’s core printing activities are now split into the two divisions. Grzegorz Czech, previously chief executive officer of Walstead CE, will run the CE and Leykam businesses (Central and Eastern Europe) while Debbie Read, previously the chief executive officer of Walstead UK, will run the new Western European division.
The group says that by amalgamating the group into these two distinct divisions there will be more collaboration in a number of areas of the business.
Paul Utting, chief executive officer of Walstead Group, comments: “With our markets constantly changing it is more important that the group is able to collaborate as widely as possible and I believe that this new structure will provide the ideal platform for doing so.
“After the recent news announcing the merger of our CE and Leykam divisions, this further change bringing together our UK and Spanish businesses is a logical next step and creates two strong divisions for our manufacturing platform. Debbie has done an exceptional job as chief executive officer of Walstead UK, and I am sure she will apply her skills to the wider role for the benefit of all stakeholders”.
Recently Walstead Group also announced the appointment of Grant Murray as its new group chief financial officer who is replacing Neil Johnson.
As a chartered accountant and previous chief financial officer at Channel 5 Broadcasting, Guardian Media Group, Johnston Press, Clarion Events, and Talon Outdoor, Murray brings with him a wealth of experience.
With “extensive” knowledge in private equity and publicly owned businesses operating in the media sector, Murray’s first focus will include leading key finance-related projects over the next 12 months.
In addition to its new group chief financial officer, Walstead has also appointed Ian Southerland, the group’s finance director, to the board of Walstead Group and as director of the group’s ultimate parent company, Walstead Holdings.
Mark Scanlon, chairman of Walstead Holdings, says: “We welcome Grant to the group and congratulate Ian on his well-deserved promotion to the two boards. We would like to thank Neil Johnson [who Murray is replacing] for his contribution to the group since he joined us last year and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
