Stream loses head in rejig turmoil

Staff upheaval at software firm Stream International was compounded after its chairman Mort Rosenthal announced he was stepping down from the day-to-day running of the business at the end of the year.

The move represents part of a 'huge reorganisation', said EMEA president Paul Kavanagh, as the group restructures into three businesses.

Kavanagh admitted there had been problems following the RR Donnelly takeover last year. 'We tried to make it one business, but our biggest problem was trying to do too much under one management team.

'Now we are restructuring along three separate business lines. Rosenthal is not the most structured of people so that's one of the reasons he wanted to do other things.'

Other exits include the chairman of Stream France, Bernard Deman, who is retiring at the end of the year, as well as Jim Shriner, US-based marketing manager of the custom desktop programme, who left last month.

The changes leave several gaps in Stream's management structure. European senior VP Gerry Labie is still holding down two jobs while a UK general manager is sought to replace ex-sales and marketing director Ken Parkinson.

Sources suggest CVs from Stream staff are going round the industry. 'People want to move on,' said one source.