Tag: New Zealand Post

New Zealand Post still suffers from the “postie” tag despite heavy investment in electronic networks and infrastructure to meet the future, its new chief executive, John Allen, said.

Mr Allen, 42, took over from Elmar Toime nearly a month ago and is set to educate the market on New Zealand Post’s electronic capabilities.

The former head of New Zealand Post’s Letters and Enterprise group said letters and courier services were increasingly being conducted electronically and via the Internet, but New Zealand Post’s capability in that area had not been communicated to customers well enough in the past.

State-owned New Zealand Post made a net profit of $19.6 million in the six months to December, up 22.5 per cent on the second half of 2001.
Acting chief executive John Allen said yesterday that a 0.6 per cent increase in domestic mail volumes, driven by high business mail volumes, contributed to the result.

Domestic mail volumes increased by 0.8 per cent over the past 18 months, arresting a two-year decline.

New Zealand Post No 2 John Allen is a strong contender to replace outgoing boss Elmar Toime in the $770,000-a-year job, according to sources close to the company.

Mr Toime said last week that he would leave New Zealand to become Royal Mail executive deputy chairman in Britain on a pay packet understood to be worth $1.5 million.

Mr Allen, letters and enterprises division chief, will act as chief executive if there is no permanent replacement by February, when Mr Toime is expected to leave.