AxizWorkgroup CEO Doug Woolley is leaving the company, after more than a decade, to take up a position at one of its clients, Business Connexion (BCX).
Woolley is the fifth senior manager out of 25 to leave the company within the past six to seven months. He will join BCX as group executive of its technology group, on 15 March.
AxizWorkgroup executive director Craig Brunsden says Woolley's resignation was announced to staff on Tuesday evening. He says there is “nothing acrimonious” about Woolley's departure from the group, which is “amicable”.
Brunsden says Woolley's post will be filled in an acting capacity by Henry Ferreira, who was set to join AxizWorkgroup's parent company, Pinnacle, as CEO of distribution this month.
Woolley's departure is a “disruptive” event and the company regrets losing its CEO, says Brunsden. However, Ferreira is experienced and will join the company from one of its suppliers, he adds.
According to Woolley's LinkedIn profile, he has been CEO since January last year and was MD for nine years before that.
Challenging times
AxizWorkgroup is the result of Pinnacle's 2010 buyout of Axiz for R150 million and its subsequent merger with Pinnacle's WorkGroup unit.
Brunsden says “mergers are challenging” and when two companies come together, resources are duplicated. The staff that have left have done so for a variety of reasons, including to advance their careers, and some have been redeployed to Pinnacle, he says.
AxizWorkgroup is operationally sound and has not been in a financially better position for many years, says Brunsden. Pinnacle's interim results are expected to be announced later this month.
BCX says Woolley is a “highly-qualified addition to our team”. Woolley has a BCom Honours degree in marketing from the University of SA.
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