Posted to News on 18th Feb 2025, 14:30
Leadership transition at JET PRESS
JET PRESS is pleased to announce a significant update regarding the leadership of its business, demonstrating its dedication to sustainable growth and continuity. After an incredible 36 years of dedication and exceptional service, Managing Director, Steve Cusick will retire at the end of this financial year on 30 April 2025.
While Steve's official retirement is still a few months away, JET PRESS has been taking its time to ensure a seamless transition of responsibilities to Richard Johnson, who will step into the role of Managing Director on 1 May 2025.
Steve's legacy at JET PRESS is one of commitment, leadership and unwavering support. Since his promotion to Managing Director in January 2022, Steve has worked tirelessly to steer JET PRESS forward, navigating both opportunities and challenges with vision and dedication. He has also been instrumental in ensuring robust succession planning and positioning the business for long-term future success.
Now the company welcomes Richard Johnson as the Future Managing Director. Over the past three years, Richard has played a critical role in driving operational and commercial improvements across JET PRESS, as well as forging exciting new supplier partnerships. His leadership practices are seamlessly aligned with the company's values, making him the ideal successor to Steve.
From 1 January 2025, Richard has already assumed decision-making responsibilities in a Managing Director Designate capacity; this gradual handover period ensures continuity and provides the team with the stability needed to achieve JET PRESS's ambitious long-term goals.
Looking ahead, while Steve will officially retire from his role as Managing Director in April 2025, he will continue to be part of the JET PRESS family, transitioning into a Non-Executive Director role. In this capacity, he will offer guidance and support as the company continues to build on the strong foundation he has helped establish.
Chairman, Olly Guest, comments: "Steve joined JET PRESS just a few years after the UK business was founded in 1985 by my Stepfather Gus Schwarz and Barry Perry. Since then, Steve has played an incredibly pivotal part in the company's long-term success, in the last give or so years stewarding the business through all of the challenges and opportunities that significant world events have thrown at us all.
"It's challenging to convey my own level of respect and appreciation for all that Steve has contributed at JET PRESS over the last 36 years. For me personally, due to my Stepfather's health suddenly deteriorating, Steve and Andrew Mitchell have both jumped in and gone over and beyond with their levels of support and guidance during a challenging period.
"Steve's retirement has been in discussion for some time; he and I have been mindful of the need for effective succession planning to ensure business continuity and having the right team in place to meet our future goals.
"Richard has been with JET PRESS for just over three years now, during this time he has contributed towards a great deal of operational and commercial improvements, that I'm confident will play a significant part in meeting our ambitious long-term growth targets."
