Creo Products chief operating officer and executive vice president Erez Meltzer is to step down in two months and will not be replaced.


Meltzer is also president of CreoScitex Israel, a position that will be succeeded by vice president for business operations Michael Rolant after a transitional period.


CreoScitex refuted suggestions that Meltzer was leaving the company due to differences of opinion about the focus and strategic direction of the company.


"Were nearly one year into the merger and during that time there have been differences of opinion, but its going very well. There was not any specific difference of opinion," said CreoScitex head of corporate communications Shelagh Hammer.


She added that Meltzers role had become increasingly obsolete due to the additional involvement of Creo Products chief executive Amos Michelson.


"Erezs role had two functions on a local managerial level in Israel and a corporate managerial function. His corporate role was less necessary than was first thought. Amos has taken a bigger involvement in Creos graphic arts division."


Rolant, who has been with CreoScitex for six years, has been responsible for leading the companys customer support group. Meltzer is the most senior of the former Scitex Corporations executives to leave CreoScitex after Scitexs merger with Creo.


The news comes 10 months after CreoScitex European managing director David Ofek left the firm citing differences in management philosophy (PrintWeek, 5 May 2000).


Story by John Davies