MICHAEL GRADE CBE, LORD GRADE OF YARMOUTH, IS THE PRINTING CHARITY’S 2023 PRESIDENT

The Printing Charity has announced that Michael Grade, Lord Grade of Yarmouth CBE, Chair of OFCOM, has accepted the charity’s invitation to become its President for 2023.

Lord Grade said: “Having started my career as a print journalist, I am a great believer in the power of print as a communication channel, which is seen in all aspects of our everyday lives. I’m very pleased to be involved with the Printing Charity, and am looking forward to supporting their crucial work providing practical, emotional and financial support to everyone in the print, packaging, paper, publishing and graphic arts sectors.”

Lord Grade began his career in 1960 as a journalist and sports columnist at the Daily Mirror, and since then has worked across the UK’s major broadcasters, as controller of BBC One, Chief Executive of Channel 4, Chair of the BBC and Executive Chair of ITV. He has also held the positions of Chief

Executive at First Leisure, and Chair of Pinewood Studios.

He has been Chair of the Charity Fundraising Regulator, and of the Media Museum Bradford; and was a Trustee of the Science Museum.

Printing Charity Chair Jon Wright said: “We are delighted that Lord Grade has agreed to support the charity as our 2023 President and the key note speaker at our Annual Luncheon, an event now in its 194th year. He is the latest member of a distinguished line of past charity Presidents, including most recently George Osborne CH.” Please see www.theprintingcharity.org.uk for more information and follow @printingcharity

Oki Appoints Takaaki Hagiwara As New Md

OKI Europe has appointed Takaaki Hagiwara as Manging Director to strengthen OKI’s leading position within the professional printing technology market and spearhead growth in the EMEA and India region of additional OKI solutions.

Prior to his new appointment, Hagiwara served as VP Corporate Planning OKI Europe, he was also engaged in the transformation and administration of the business.

Takaaki Hagiwara succeeds Tsukasa Takasawa, who has been appointed into a new business development role in Singapore.

Hagiwara has been with OKI since 1990, originally joining the company in the Overseas Sales and Marketing division. He brings a wealth of experience to his role, having already served in many senior positions within OKI, including as Managing Director of OKI Systems (UK) Ltd. between 2013-2018, where he was responsible for building the company’s position in the business to business printer, document output and management markets, while growing relationships with channel and business partners and core business customers across the UK, Ireland and Nordic region.

In his new role as Managing Director of OKI Europe, Hagiwara’s focus will be on the continued technology market in the EMEA and India regions, and to explore opportunities for the application of OKI technology that has already been commercialised in other regions.

“I look forward to leading OKI Europe in this