Hemani has will to win

New Actebis chief bullish about turning the company around

New Actebis chief executive Joe Hemani has likened his new role to "walking the Himalayas in plimsolls", but is confident that the support he has received from employees will help him turn the company around.

The Westcoast chairman became chief executive of Actebis last month. He has claimed that "everything is on track" for him to gain full ownership of the pan-European distributor by the end of the year.

"The first thing I have to do is stabilise the company. When people say I have a tough job ahead it is an understatement. The tools we have are unbelievably 'unsharp', but we have the will of Actebis employees, who want to succeed," he said.

Hemani added that integration in the UK will be the easiest part, but that the "jury is out" over the rest of Europe. "It is a massive challenge to deliver to 15 territories, but I am very confident," he said.

Rachel Power, analyst at Canalys, said: "Hemani is motivated to make this a success. No doubt he will get the right people behind him to do that."

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