31st Jul 2009 11:08
31 July 2009
APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE
The Board of Directors of the Davis Service Group Plc was notified earlier this year by Roger Dye, the Chief Executive, of his intention to retire at the end of 2009. Since then, the Board has conducted a search to identify and secure a high quality successor and is today delighted to announce the appointment of Peter Ventress, currently President of Staples International.
Peter is 48 and has spent the last 10 years in the office products distribution industry in senior management positions in Europe and Canada with Corporate Express N.V., becoming Chief Executive in 2007. Corporate Express was acquired by Staples, Inc., the world's largest office products company, in 2008, following which Peter was appointed head of all Staples' activities outside the United States and Canada.
Peter will join Davis on 1 November 2009. He will receive a comprehensive handover from Roger, allowing him to take up his full responsibilities from 1 January 2010.
Christopher Kemball, Davis Chairman, commented "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Roger for his excellent stewardship of Davis, first as Finance Director and then as Chief Executive, over the past nine years. We are delighted that, after a thorough search, we have secured Peter Ventress to succeed him. We believe Peter has the right skills and experience to be a worthy successor to Roger and to take Davis forward into the next stage of its development."
For further information contact:
Davis Service Group Plc Financial Dynamics
Christopher Kemball Andrew Lorenz
Tel 020 7665 4551 Tel 020 7269 7121
Roger Dye
Tel 020 7259 6663
Note:
There are no disclosures required in respect of Peter Ventress under paragraphs 9.6.13 (2)-(6) of the FSA's Listing Rules.
Peter Ventress is currently a director of Corporate Express N.V., a company that was traded on the Dutch AEX until its delisting in August 2008. He is also a director of Corporate Express Australia Limited, a company traded on the Australian Securities Exchange in Sydney.
ENDS
Note to Editors:
Peter VentressSince July 2008 Peter served as President of Staples International, overseeing Staples' businesses in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. He previously served as CEO of Corporate Express N.V. leading up to the acquisition of the company by Staples in July 2008. He also served as a member of the Executive Board of Corporate Express. From 1999 - 2007 Peter held a number of senior management roles including: President Corporate Express Europe 2005 - 2007; President Corporate Express Canada 2002 - 2005; Regional President Corporate Express Europe 2001 - 2002; and President Buhrmann France 1999 - 2001. Prior to Corporate Express, Peter served in a number of general management positions in the UK paper industry.
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