Kimber takes UK graphics lead after HP management rejig

HP has reshuffled its UK management team, with 12-year veteran Ian Kimber taking the reins from Nancy Janes as UK & Ireland (UK&I) country manager HP Indigo & Inkjet.

Having previously worked for Xerox and Kodak, Kimber joined Indigo as a sales manager just prior to its acquisition by HP in 2001. Most recently he was UK&I district manager heading up commercial sales. That position has now been filled by Graham Dove.

Kimber and Dove stepped up to their new roles on 1 November.

In his new role, Kimber will head up commercial, publishing, packaging and industrial print – in essence, HP's entire UK graphics portfolio, with the exception of Scitex, Designjet and Latex.

"My key focus will continue to be the customer – it has to be all about them and helping them to grow their businesses," said Kimber.

"Our business is about bringing added-value applications to market so that our customers can drive print through adding value, rather than just be about price, which is where a lot of the [general] market still seems to be, unfortunately."

Kimber will report to Ronen Samuel, who became vice-president and general manager of HP Indigo and Inkjet EMEA three months ago.

Kimber replaces Nancy Janes, who has been promoted to the newly created role of worldwide programmes director of strategy & market development at HP Graphics Solutions Business, responsible for Indigo, inkjet and wide-format.

Janes’ role will involve utilising her sales and marketing experience of both the Indigo and wide-format parts of the business to create internal and external market development programmes to leverage the activities of HP Graphics Solutions Business and identify ways it can add value to its customers. She will also be supporting a number of initiatives at Dscoop, the HP user co-operative.

Part of her new role will also involve working with brands to replicate initiatives like Coca-Cola’s ‘share a coke’ campaign.

"It was a tough decision to leave the UK role, because I’ve genuinely loved the UK organisation and UK industry, but my leaving is driven by a desire to bring that customer focus into a worldwide role," said Janes.

"It’s a brand new role and the objective is to take my operational customer experience and market experience and accelerate the analogue-to-digital transformation."

For the past three-and-a-half years, Janes has been UK&I country manager HP Indigo & Inkjet, prior to that she was UK&I large-format country manager. During her career she also spent time as European customer business development manager – in total notching up 17 years with Indigo and HP.

"I’m delighted that Ian is succeeding me in the UK, with his 12 years' experience, and that Graham, with his international accounts experience, is succeeding Ian. The team really couldn’t be in better hands."

Janes will report to Juan Ignacio Calderan, vice-president strategy & market development, Graphics Solutions Business.