Haslam joined the business in 1985 and has been on the board for the past 23 years.
“I took over as MD in 2008, a month before Lehman Brothers went bust,” Haslam recalled.
“I hope the next generation are cut some slack and things get sorted out in the world. Since I took over we’ve had the Great Recession, the referendum, Brexit, Covid, war… we’ve remained viable, profitable and adapted throughout all that time.”
Haslam said that challenges had helped make the business stronger.
“I always say that things like the Great Recession enabled us to reconstruct, and prepare ourselves for the future.”
A new board is in place as part of the firm’s succession planning.
Former finance director Gareth Sheekey becomes managing director; Margaret Sweeney is sales and business development director; former RK Burt director Charlotte Couchman heads up fine art as commercial development director; and Ben Watkinson is global brand director.
GF Smith acquired RK Burt three-and-a-half years ago.
Sales director Jan Richner and his young family have decided to return to Switzerland, and he will leave the business over the summer as a result.
Sheekey will retain the finance remit while a new finance director is recruited.
The GF Smith business has a long and illustrious heritage dating back to 1885, when George Frederick Smith founded a paper merchant focused on the supply of fine paper to printers and publishers.
Today the business employs 153 and has sales of £32m, with its flagship Colorplan range sold in 32 countries around the world. The merchant also has a growing business in packaging.
“I’ve been responsible for a chapter in the company’s history, and now it’s the next generation’s time to write their chapter,” Haslam added.
“You’ve got to be relevant to be independent, and you’ve got to talk to the audience of young creatives in their language. People are reverting back to the power of beautiful paper.”
Haslam will officially step down on 29 June, but will remain as a non-executive director for ten years as part of the established process at the business.
His retirement plans include honing his skills as a first-time grandfather.
Haslam also owns the Straight Six Brewery in Surrey and plans to spend time growing that business.
“It started as a dream in my garden, and from a small scale craft brewery is now going commercial,” he explained.
“We use Colorplan Factory Yellow for the beer bottle labels!”
Haslam has changed his job title on LinkedIn to ‘servant to the brand’, where he posted his retirement news, and said: “I have fulfilled a lifelong dream, done my best every day and will live and breathe GF Smith forever. It's in the blood.”
