KEY POINTS:
Craig Richardson, an Australian citizen running a drinks business with annual revenue of $500 million has been named chief executive of Christchurch-based Jade Software Corporation, which has annual revenue of $45.5m.
Richardson, who shares a surname with but is not related to Jade's chairman Ruth Richardson, replaces Rod Carr who has been appointed vice-chancellor of Canterbury University.
Richardson, 37, is currently chief financial officer of Coca-Cola Amatil for New Zealand and Fiji. He joins Jade on March 23.
Richardson has previously worked for New Zealand Steel, Vodafone in Australia and Sweden, Cable & Wireless Optus and BHP.
He is married to a New Zealander who has strong family connections with Christchurch.
"Our forward strategy will expand on that followed very successfully by Jade under Dr Carr," he said.
Jade was founded by Sir Gil Simpson, a well known Christchurch businessman who is a former director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Carr previously worked for the Reserve Bank and Richardson is a former director of the central bank.
Sir Gil left Jade in 2006 and re-established Aoraki Corp.
Jade reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of $4.4m in the six months to June 30, 2008, down from $6.7m in the previous year. But the company said Ebitda from continuing operations was up 19 per cent.
The company said accelerated investment in acquisitions, research and development and marketing and divestments of businesses made it difficult to compare results with previous years.
- NZPA
