According to a report in Israeli business and technology news site CTech, Bar-Shany told staff yesterday that he would be leaving. The article claimed that his departure is related to a reorganisation of the Indigo business that HP had been keen to push forward, but was opposed by Bar-Shany.
An HP spokesperson said: “Haim Levit has been appointed as General Manager of HP Indigo. Haim brings more than 25 years of print leadership experience to the role, most recently leading worldwide go-to-market for HP’s Industrial Graphics organisation.
"He succeeds Alon Bar-Shany, who has successfully led HP Indigo for more than 15 years. We are grateful to Alon for all he has done to make Indigo the market leader in digital printing and we will benefit from his many contributions to our business for years to come.”
Bar-Shany joined the business in 1995 as vice-president of finance, rising to CFO three years later. He subsequently headed Indigo's EMEA, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Israel businesses at various times before taking the most senior general manager role in 2004, two years after HP acquired the Indigo business.
Similarly US-based Levit has been with Indigo for more than 25 years, having held a number of senior roles across the business, including heading its American operation and, most recently, as head of worldwide go-to-market strategy for HP's Graphics and Industrial business. He will relocate to Israel in the summer.
A spokesperson added: "Alon built a deep a bench of talented leaders and Haim is the right leader at the right time to lead Indigo forward. Alon will stay with HP to ensure a seamless transition during the coming weeks/months."
Bar-Shany was very much the public face of Indigo and his departure has been greeted with a mix of shock and sadness among UK customers, and there has been an outpouring of appreciation for his contribution to the business on social media channels such as LinkedIn.
Precision Printing chief executive Gary Peeling said: "He is the graphic arts 'rockstar'. I can think of no one in business that has been more inspirational and pivotal in this industry in recent times or my business life.
"Following his lead I learned to think big, collaboratively and innovate, put the customer at the centre of your plans and be prepared to be agile and move quickly. This favourite African proverb of Alon’s outlines his philosophy: 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together'. I, like many others, owe a lot to the Lennon of the graphic arts.
Peeling submitted the image used with this article and said it captured “Alon's familiar pose striding forward with purpose while trying to keeping tabs on a complex global organisation”.
"There is no doubt in my mind Alon would have been successful and be able to achieve much and move fast alone but he choose to collaborate. So the brick wall symbolises the strength and enduring nature of the network of colleagues, partners and customers who Alon has inspired and built over the years."
Peeling's eulogy was echoed by Prime Group managing director Jon Tolley, who, like Peeling, has previously headed the Indigo user community Dscoop.
"For me, Alon is HP Indigo, he brings the culture, the vision and the values to the business that make it what it is. I’ve worked very closely with Alon over the years on various projects including bringing Dscoop to life in the EMEA and it was through Alon’s and the boards determination and belief that we made it happen.
"There are customers and employees that remain with HP because of his leadership. I am sure over the coming weeks and months, it will be clear just how much Alon gives to the print industry and what a loss to HP Indigo he is.
"Alon is someone that cares very deeply about the health, wellbeing and success of each and every one of his customers, he knows them all, most of them as friends. I am proud to know Alon as someone I can call a friend."
Indigo was founded by Benny Landa. The firm's digital printing technology made its debut at Ipex 1993. Landa agreed to sell the business to HP in 2001.
