OfficeMax has announced the appointment of Adrian Blake as its new managing director, succeeding Kevin Obern who is to retire after 13 years in the role.
The company says that under Obern’s direction, OfficeMax strengthened its market position, navigated significant industry change and delivered solutions to thousands of businesses and schools nationwide.
Obern says it’s been a privilege to lead the business for more than a decade.
“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and confident in OfficeMax’s future under [Blake’s] leadership.”
The company says Blake brings a diverse wealth of experience in B2B markets and a proven track record of leading high-performing teams.
“Starting out in dairy farming, his career has progressed through commercial, category and sales roles at Suntory Oceania, Mondelēz International and, most recently, as General Manager at Fletcher Steel.”
Blake says OfficeMax is a business that has built strong customer relationships by adapting to change.
“With a clear sector focus, we’ll build on that momentum, shaping solutions around customer needs and delivering sustainable growth.”
Adrian Blake
The company notes that it employs more than 450 New Zealanders across its two distribution centres, three showrooms, sales offices, contact centre and Highbrook HQ, and has been a part of New Zealand workplaces and homes for more than 150 years.
As a partner to New Zealand schools for five decades it’s a supporter of not-for-profit counselling helpline and webchat service, 0800 What’s Up, “and since 2011, has supported more than 17,000 Kiwi school kids with essential resources to help level the playing field through its Max e-Grants programme”.
