The changes follow the recent retirement of long-serving directors Stephen Denbigh and Rod Humby.

Jonathan Sankey, who was formerly commercial director, becomes managing director.

Sankey’s grandfather founded the business 70 years ago. Jonathan Sankey is among the family members to retain a major shareholding in the family-owned company.

Former works director Gavin Hall is promoted and takes on an expanded role as operations director.

The firm’s sales team continues to be headed by sales director Majbritt Cook.

Bob Tomkys, an interim management specialist, has replaced Humby as finance director on a temporary basis.

Sankey thanked Denbigh and Humby for their long and devoted service to the company.

He said: “I am excited to be leading Artisan at such an important time in its history, working with such a strong, experienced management team and workforce.”

Restructuring at the Leicester web offset printer has already involved a number of redundancies at the £32.5m-turnover firm, which now employs around 190 staff. Sankey said this process was complete.

“We are supporting the business as a family. Over the past 18 months we invested another £2m to support the changes,” he said.

A new three-year strategic plan will involve “right-sizing” the company’s footprint. Artisan currently operates from three sites and this will be reduced to one or two.

Sankey declined to go into further details, but said there would be no loss of capacity. “By realising efficiencies from smarter lean working we can deliver continually improving quality and service to our customers.”

The firm posted a loss in its most recently filed accounts for the year to October 2013, but Sankey told PrintWeek its trading performance had improved in the financial year now underway. “At the moment we are on target with what we expected.”

Artisan Press has made significant recent investments in its bindery equipment, but Sankey said the possibility of investment in new presses was “not on the agenda at the moment”.

“We maintain our presses better than most and they are still producing award-winning materials. You have to sell on your abilities. We are hoping at some point in the future to be looking at further investments,” he stated.

He also moved to clarify the £4.2m dividend outlined in the 2013 accounts. “No cash was taken out of the business, it was an accounting adjustment between Artisan Press and the group.”

Artisan Press is owned by Artisan Press Holdings.