"We've made a lot of the difficult decisions already, like closing Tamworth, so I'm leaving the UK business in good shape with a very strong team and Gerard at the helm," said Clarke.

Heanue joined Heidelberg UK as finance director 16 years ago, and since that time he has also been chief financial officer (CFO) for Heidelberg Asia Pacific and also CFO for EMEA based in Heidelberg, Germany – before returning to his old role as part of a UK succession plan in 2008.

Heanue will officially take charge at the end of this month.

"I'm delighted to be moving out of the balance sheets and dealing much more directly with the issues facing Heidelberg and its customers. I'm really looking forward to being much more involved with customers," he said.

Heanue singled out adding digital to the company's product portfolio, through its partnership with Ricoh, as one of the parts of his new role that genuinely excited him, with one of the challenges being helping customers to finance digital deals.

"There's no doubt that some companies are less willing to finance digital, but Ricoh has a captive finance company… and we've already had two finance companies contact us and tell us that they would be interested in financing digital," said Heanue.

Clarke has been with Heidelberg for 26 years, talking the mantle of UK managing director in 2000. His new role will largely focus on supporting the company's international direct and dealer sales operations in developing 'go to market' strategies and managing change, structure and cost base to ensure that each operation is "fit for purpose".

Reporting directly to Heidelberg chief executive Bernhard Schreier he will operate as a central resource for the global company to share best practice across all of its international operations.

Clarke said: "I'm very excited, the business is in great shape, but there are still lots of challenges, like introducing digital, building up the service and consumables business and managing the consolidation in mature markets and the growth in developing markets. My job will be to help to steer a course through those challenges.

"It took me all of two seconds to realise I wanted to do this."