Priceline parent hires former Lion exec as CIO

Australian Pharmaceutical Industries has appointed former Lion business transformation program director Dean Matthews as its new chief information officer.

Craig de Rooden.

The listed health and beauty company was left without an IT chief after Craig de Rooden resigned following the completion of a company-wide ERP implementation. He had been in the role nearly six years.

The $35 million program, called OneERP, saw a single SAP ERP system implemented across the retail, franchise and wholesale arms of the business.

In his previous role at Lion, API's new CIO Dean Matthews was responsible for overseeing an enterprise business and IT transformation program that included implementing SAP across all Lion's Asia Pacific business operations.

His experience also includes three-and-a-half years as the CIO at SABMiller Asia Pacific & Carlton United Breweries, plus similar roles at Linfox, Franklins and Lend Lease Employer Systems.

Matthews began in his new Melbourne-based role last month, after wrapping up duties at Lion in July.

API operates a network of more than 590 company-owned and franchised stores under the Priceline Pharmacy, Soul Pattinson Chemist and Pharmacist Advice brands.

The company is also a wholesale pharmaceutical supplier to 750 independent chemists through its Club Premium division.