Brambles builds team
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday October 17, 2009
THE Brambles chief executive-designate, Tom Gorman, has begun corralling his new management team just a week after he was named to take over from Mike Ihlein.The appointment of Jim Infinger as chief information officer yesterday signals further shake-ups ahead for Brambles' senior hierarchy once Mr Gorman begins on November 1.Mr Infinger, an American who was the chief information officer at Harman Industries in the US, starts on Monday. He will work out of the headquarters of Brambles' CHEP pallet business in Orlando.A key focus for Mr Infinger, who will be among Brambles' top eight senior executives, is likely to be implementing the second shake-up of the American CHEP business in less than two years, which includes an upgrade of its pallet pool.Analysts say Mr Gorman is likely to make further changes to the management hierarchy in the coming months, but they emphasise that he will be aware of the high turnover in Brambles' senior ranks in recent years and will want to retain some experienced hands.Brambles will, however, at least have to find a replacement for Mr Gorman as head of its European business. The role has been temporarily filled by Peter Mackie, the president of CHEP Europe, while an internal and external search is under way.Brambles had an executive search under way for a CIO for several months, and Mr Gorman was one of the senior executives who interviewed Mr Infinger.A Brambles spokesman would not comment on suggestions Mr Gorman, a New Yorker, was about to embark on more changes to Brambles's senior management team.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald