Former HP director jumps to KAZ

Australian IT outsourcer KAZ Group has completed a management reorganisation, appointing former HP director Andrew Richardson managing director of its Technology Services division.

Richardson has stepped into the role once held by Peter Draney, the former managing director of Aspect Computing, following KAZ's acquisition of Aspect in early 2002.

Draney quit as managing director of the division in August this year, but is still a company director at KAZ Group. Group managing director Peter Kazacos had been overseeing the division prior to Richardson's appointment.

Richardson's appointment was part of the recent reorganisation of the KAZ Group into three operating divisions, each headed by a managing director will full operational and profit and loss responsibility.

Technology Services is KAZ's largest operating division covering a full range of IT needs, from the supply of technical services to total outsourcing. This division reported sales revenue of $258.6 million for the year ending 30 June, 2003.

KAZ's Business Services division -- headed by Stuart Korchinski -- reported sales revenue of $98.5 million. KAZ Software Solutions -- headed by Charles Dunn -- had sales revenue of $14.2 million for the year.

Richardson has moved across from HP's South Pacific operation where he was director, managed services. Prior to that, he was director, global services at Compaq South Pacific and had also worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company for five years.

While there, he advised senior executives on developing new strategies for improving operational performance and effecting major organisational change, according to a KAZ statement.

In a statement, Richardson said he believed that “there is significant scope to grow the business and improve our profit margins”.

KAZ shares were trading at 28.5 cents per share during Monday morning trading.