Global Print elects new president

He succeeds Jiangou Xu, chairman of PEIAC, the association of Chinese printing equipment manufacturers, whose two-year presidency culminated with drupa 2016.

 

Created in 2006, Global Print comprises 10 national associations from Asia, Europe and the USA. Its objective is to further the common interests and mutual understanding of manufacturers of printing, papermaking and converting machinery, equipment and consumables. Picon is the member association for the UK.

 

‘The presidency of Global Print is a great honour, not only for me but also for Picon,' said Flather. 'I would like to thank my predecessor Jiangou Xu for his excellent work maintaining and furthering Global Print’s role as the unified voice of national organizations representing thousands of companies and over 250,000 employees. I look forward to continuing his work, particularly with regard to collating and exchanging information about the changing market trends in our fast-changing industry.

 

'The print industry may be facing challenging times but it is not a sunset industry and it will have to embrace this new technology and adapt in order to survive. But, at the same time, it is important too that the industry focuses on attracting bright young talent to take it forward into the future.’

 

Flather joined Kolbus in 1997 and today is managing director of Kolbus UK and president of Kolbus France and Libertec, Belgium. He previously worked in senior management positions with leading UK book printer Clays and commercial print firm Jarrold Printing. He joined the Picon Council in 2008 and was elected chairman in 2015. He is also a member of The Stationers’ Company, the City of London Livery Company for the Communications and Content Industries, and chairman of its charitable arm, the Stationers’ Foundation.