Dialogue Holdings appointed Alan Farthing as its new CEO yesterday, after over a year of having the top spot vacant.
Chairman Peter Watt says Farthing has been the chairman of the company's audit committee since December 2008, and so has intimate knowledge of the company, enabling him to take over as CEO.
“We require much more of a financial look at the companies in the group and a financial perspective as opposed to an operational one,” says Watt, indicating that Farthing's previous experience as financial director of Business Connexion may help overcome the company's financial difficulty.
He adds that Farthing has been involved in the relevant areas of activity, like business continuity.
No leadership
Previous CEO Jason Drew resigned with effect from 31 January 2009, according to the company.
“He [Drew] stepped down and we didn't want to appoint someone permanently, because there were a lot of hard decisions to make in the group. So we battled on without a CEO and focused on Dialogue Group,” notes Watt.
He says Farthing was appointed, because Dialogue Holdings now needs a CEO, as it has to pick up the remaining companies in the group.
His appointment is also important at a time when the organisation expects to make a profit, after reporting a wider loss of R96.5 million during the last financial year.
“The companies that are left now are all making profits and one is breaking even,” says Watt.
More resignations
The firm also announced the resignations of its HR and financial directors.
Watt says the group will not replace the HR director. He says that, as it is an investment holding company, there's no need for an HR director. He adds that only the operational companies would need one and they are all well staffed. He also says this is part of Dialogue's cost-saving exercises.
The position of financial director has been filled by previous company secretary, Terence Kretzmann, according to Dialogue.
“Terence has been with the company for a long time and knows a lot about it, and we thought the combination of him and Alan would be good,” says Watt.
Lionel Marran has been appointed as company secretary, with effect from 1 April, adds the group.
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