Calumet Announces A New European Management Structure

07/07/09

Calumet Photographic is set to reshape its burgeoning European business model with the announcement of changes at the top of its management structure.

In the UK, Michele Channer the current marketing director, takes over as Managing Director following the dual departure of former MD Joe Clarke and the company’s Director of Retail, Dave Cuthbert.

Explaining the changes, David Drew, CEO Calumet International said: “We are embarking on a new strategic realignment of our 19 store-strong European business model across the UK, Germany, Holland and Benelux.
We believe this paradigm shift in cross-border management planning will better enable us to implement our long-term growth ambitions and provide improved integration across this region as a whole.”

He added: “The company has enjoyed strong growth in recent years but we now need to sharpen our focus around the development of a more consolidated European configuration.”

Channer, who has been with Calumet for 20 years, will assume immediate responsibility for the day to day management of the company’s UK business, including Major Accounts, the Ministry of Defence contract and Calumet Trading.

Her UK MD brief also extends to the development of all of the business’s European call centres and web business channels, plus the product management and marketing departments across the European business units.
She reports to Christof Bergmann, the new General Manager, who has overall responsibility for Calumet Europe.

She said: “Calumet, like all players in the imaging sector, must continue to adapt and evolve in an ever-changing business environment if it is to maximise commercial opportunity and maintain its marketing-leading position.”

“This new European strategy will increase our corporate cohesion and dynamism as we plan for further growth.
It will enable us to improve customer services through the progressive implementation of best practice across all our retail outlets; by offering customers multi-currency websites and a renewed ‘full commitment’ performance pledge to all our suppliers.”

She added: “There is a growing tendency to European-wide organisation within the photographic industry and Calumet will be at the vanguard of this commercial trend.”

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