Gary Urmston joined the pan-European book printing group at the beginning of the year.

He has many years of experience in senior financial roles in food production and fast moving consumer goods, as well as bringing audit and M&A know-how to his new role.

CPI Group CEO Chris Malley, who joined the business a year ago, said Urmston would help to develop the future strategy of the group while delivering financial insights into its performance.

Urmston said he was excited about the new opportunity.

“I am delighted to be joining the group which I know contains committed, dedicated and talented teams across all of the facilities.

“I am looking forward to working with them and helping them achieve the highest performance possible for the group.”

He has replaced Catherine Rossiter, who has left the group to take up a new role at building materials company H+H UK.

CPI Group has 15 factories across the UK and on the continent.

Its UK operations encompass CPI Antony Rowe in Chippenham, Eastbourne and Melksham; CPI Books in Chatham and Croydon; and CPI William Clowes in Suffolk.

It also has a strategic partnership with Wiley for on-demand book production at the publisher’s European Distribution Centre in Bognor Regis.

Urmston is also currently a non-executive director at AIM-listed Microsalt, which has patented a method for producing low sodium salt that is claimed to have the same taste as traditional salt.