Andas Group out to expand

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 25

Andas Group out to expand

PA Wellington Two senior computer executives, Mr Ken Fraser and Mr Terry Smith, have been brought into the Well-ington-based office supplies and computer company, Andas Group, Ltd. In other restructuring moves Brierley Investments, which has held shares in Andas for a number of years, will gain a board seat and take a more active role in management. Mr Fraser, former managing director of Computer Consultants, Ltd, and Mr Smith, up to recently general manager of Challenge Computers, Ltd, have become major shareholders of Andas with off-market purchases. Mr Smith will become managing director and Mr Fraser will join the board as deputy chairman. The present managing director, Mr Neale Alexander, wished to retire from management, the directors said in a statement, but he will be retained as a consultant. Two other directors besides Mr Alexander will retire from the board: Mr J. D. Pottinger and Mr E. G. Clothier. Directors said they had worked for some time to move aggressively into the wider computer field. “The group already has a large client base and strong national coverage, marketing a range of stationery and computer products from calculators to computer peripherals. The board wishes to expand from this base.” The directors said they had been aware of a size-, able shareholding held by Brierley for some years. The shareholding has been by a number of nominee companies.