Sascha Fischer is leaving his role as marketing manager at Heidelberg UK to become managing director of European business at Williams Lea.

He will be based in Frankfurt, where the firm is in the process of setting up an operation to join its other European sites in Amsterdam, Paris and London. Sascha is a bright guy and highly talented his experience at Heidelberg will be invaluable, said Williams Lea chief executive Tim Griffiths. He understands the German market.

I was approached by Williams Lea, its a unique opportunity for me, said Fischer. Part of the reason for me coming to the UK was to see the trends in the market. In marketing Ive been trying to step into customers shoes, now I get to wear them.

Fischer will leave Heidelberg at the end of this month and begin working for Williams Lea in March. The firms Frankfurt operation will initially run from one of its customers sites, but the firm plans to have its own premises by the time Fischer starts. Within the next 12 months it plans to start operating in a further two European cities.Saschas contacts with digital printers throughout Europe will be a major upside to how we build the business, said Griffiths.

Sascha has done good work at Heidelberg UK, said Heidelberg UK managing director George Clarke. Its ironic that having been so successful in helping us become focused on the mindset of the customer hes been lured away by a user. We wish him great success for the future.

As PrintWeek went to press Heidelberg had yet to announce Fischers replacement.

Story by Barney Cox