One of Agfa's rising stars Frederik Dehing has been appointed to run Agfa in Oceania. He succeeds current Agfa boss John Shore, who is leaving in a planned retirement. Dehing's official title is president, Agfa Graphics Oceania Regional Operation.
Dehing says, "I am delighted to be working with a well known and highly motivated team. Agfa has enormous brand recognition in this part of the world and a market position that most would be envious of."
Dehing arrives with his wife and young family from Belgium, initially on a three year term. In Belgium he was head of Agfa's 500 strong finance and administration team, and was a key member of the Agfa Graphics executive committee, which is responsible for the high level operation of the company. With a background first in banking, particularly mergers and acquisitions, Dehing has been with Agfa for seven years, quickly rising through the ranks.
His appointment to run the Oceania division brings high level management to the region, direct connection with Agfa in Belgium, and for Dehing represents the next step in his march to the top. Agfa tends to place its young executives in learning environments, particularly where they can work at the coalface with day to day sales and marketing.
Dehing says his priorities will reflect those of Agfa globally, which essentially are to be in market leadership in its spheres of prepress and industrial inkjet. Agfa's Oceania division is already one of the best performing of the company's seven regions.
Retiring president John Shore says he intends to take the next two years traveling through Australia - he has just bought a 4WD - and overseas, before reassessing, but rules out a return to the corporate world.
He says, "Over the last six months we have created the best management team I have known, with Frederik the cream on the cake. Agfa Graphics is now perfectly positioned to deliver market leading services to the printers of Australia and the rest of Oceania."
