Thorpe will focus on web offset sales and will investigate "added-value opportunities" for Wyndeham's clients. He had a previous spell at St Ives and has been in the print industry for the past 30 years.

Jon Hearnden, Wyndeham group sales director, said: "We have not brought Ian [Thorpe] in based on his previous contacts nor purely for turnover. He is employed to sell the group's services and he has experience in the commercial marketplace."

Thorpe was part of the management buy-in team at NJP which took over the company at the start of 2004, but was unable to move the company from its site in central Norwich.

The company went into administration on 1 August this year and closed last month.

Wyndeham has also appointed Daniel Hilton, as sales executive for Wyndeham Heron. He held a similar position at St Ives, where he had worked for the past 18 years.

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