US commercial and consumer finance group CIT has recruited them both to set up a new specialist print division in the UK.

Booker, a co-founder of the firm, left Close Print after 17 years last September followed by managing director for the north Powell, who quit at the end of last year after 13 years. Booker was subsequently replaced by Neil Pitcher in February.

Since their departures, both Booker and Powell have been bound by non-compete covenants but have been consulting for BPIF Finance on a voluntary basis, which Powell said was "our opportunity to give a bit back to the industry".
Booker becomes programme director for print at CIT while Powell becomes UK sales director. Former Close Print colleagues Mark Quinn and Paul Eversfield have joined as sales manager north and sales manager south respectively.

Powell said the team was "very much looking forward to re-acquainting ourselves" with its many contacts in the industry.

CIT was founded in 1908 and has almost 34bn ($60bn) of assets under management across about 30 industries. Its global headquarters are in New York and it employs about 6,000 staff in locations in the Americas, Europe and the Pacific Rim.

Visit: www.cit.com