Higson takes over letters operation

[jemima]

From the Financial Times

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a2ed3982-8bf9 ... ck_check=1

"Royal Mail has filled one of the toughest jobs in British business with the surprise appointment of Mark Higson as managing director of its letters operation.

Mr Higson’s previous experience has been largely in manufacturing companies, most recently as group operations director of BPB, the plasterboard company bought by France’s Saint-Gobain two years ago.

In his latest role, he will be responsible for the collection, sorting and delivery of more than 80m letters daily by almost 170,000 postmen and women.

He started work at the state-owned group on Monday, less than two weeks after the postal union agreed to changes in working practices ahead of a £1.2bn investment to automate the distribution of Britain’s mail.

Mr Higson, 51, is the third chief of the letters division in three years. His predecessor, Ian Griffiths, left earlier this year after just over a year in the job, having joined Royal Mail from GKN Automotive. Elmar Toime, a former chief executive of New Zealand Post, resigned in November 2004 after 18 months with the group.

Adam Crozier, Royal Mail chief executive, said Mr Higson had an impressive record at BPB, where he played a key leadership role in boosting the focus on customers and overhauling operations, helping deliver sustained profit growth.

But the appointment of a virtually unknown manufacturing executive to a high-profile business with a large workforce and millions of customers puzzled Samuel Johar of Buchanan Harvey, the head hunter.

“Manufacturing companies are not people-oriented companies but revolve around plant and assets. You would want a retailer who knows about service and people, who is used to dealing with lots of customers,â€

[Stormproof]

So what the f**k does someone in the plasterboard industry know about letters and the day to day running of a communications firm
No doubt another one in the 'old boys club'

[k979aaa]

So what the f**k does someone in the plasterboard industry know about letters and the day to day running of a communications firm
No doubt another one in the 'old boys club'

Maybe he could paper over the huge crack's :cfo & :lfo or is just a fill in postion on the board ie polyfiller!.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

So what the f**k does someone in the plasterboard industry know about letters and the day to day running of a communications firm
No doubt another one in the 'old boys club'

Probably about the same as a bloke who cant run a sporting association.

[Stormproof]

So what the f**k does someone in the plasterboard industry know about letters and the day to day running of a communications firm
No doubt another one in the 'old boys club'

Maybe he could paper over the huge crack's :cfo & :lfo or is just a fill in postion on the board ie polyfiller!.

Thats terrible

[Lounge Lizard]

So what the f**k does someone in the plasterboard industry know about letters and the day to day running of a communications firm
No doubt another one in the 'old boys club'

Perhaps he had the right handshake.

[axeman]

Quite clear just what his role is going to be................

quote......
But the appointment of a virtually unknown manufacturing executive to a high-profile business with a large workforce and millions of customers puzzled Samuel Johar of Buchanan Harvey, the head hunter.

“Manufacturing companies are not people-oriented companies but revolve around plant and assets. You would want a retailer who knows about service and people, who is used to dealing with lots of customers,â€

[Sandyman]

Dear Mr Higson,

To quote an oft used song at fooball:

"You don't know what you're doin' "

You'll need to do a few weeks walking in the shoes of the postie to get any respect or support from the people who matter. Are you up for that, or are you just going to be looked upon as another overpaid useless brutal lackie of Crozierworld?

[BELIAL]

Don't think he's to worried about respect ,it won't pay for the Bentley or six bed detached in Godalming

[doveston]

'He started work at the state-owned group on Monday, less than two weeks after the postal union agreed to changes in working practices ahead of a £1.2bn investment to automate the distribution of Britain’s mail.'

so it's all agreed then?

[DirtyHarry]

From plasterboard to postal chief

Mark Higson is a former divisional chief executive and group operations director of BPB, the British plasterboard manufacturer bought by Saint-Gobain of France in 2005 .

He had previously been responsible for the group’s businesses in northern Africa, Turkey, the Middle East and northern Europe, and for BPB Formula.

Mr Higson, 51, has an engineering degree from Imperial College, London, and a master’s degree in business from study at London Business School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Before joining BPB in 1996, he held senior posts at Courtaulds, including being chief executive of its UK Coatings division.

He had previously worked at the food group HJ Heinz, British Aerospace and as a consultant."[/color]

He has a master's degree in business. Not a single ounce of business acumen though, I bet. Just another cut and slash merchant, another buffoon who imagines they can run an empire on a shoestring, in short, another idiot who likes to think they are a jack of all trades, but who are in fact, master of none.

[dvbuk55]

I don't think we should concentrate on the quality of these muppets so much as the quantity - 3 in just over 3 years - thereby hangs a tale surely.

[DirtyHarry]

I don't think we should concentrate on the quality of these muppets so much as the quantity - 3 in just over 3 years - thereby hangs a tale surely.

Yes, 3 in 3 years, it's almost like there's a conveyor belt. Not one's for stability, are the gruesome twosome.

[Vulcan]

Could he's to carry the can!!!!

[peedofpostie]

bet they ve filled his head full of shite aswell just like they told our new starts they d start at 9 30 and finnish at 215 either that they have put him in to take the s**t thats about to hit the fan keep him for a year and blame him for some of the f**k ups then send him on his way with a nice big golden handshake :lfo :cfo