Manager departs suddenly

Press, 6 November 1984, Page 1

Manager departs suddenly

The managing director of the Mount Cook Group, Mr Philip Phillips, left the group abruptly yesterday. Mr Phillips declined yesterday afternoon to say why he was leaving, and said it was a matter between him and the company. A company statement, issued late yesterday, referred to Mr Phillips’s departure as an “early retirement” Mr Nelson Tolerton, of Auckland, had been appointed executive officer of the group, the statement said. . ~ “Mr Tolerton is particularly well known for his successful years with Zip Holdings, his rationalisation of the Prestige-Holeproof merger, and his redevelop-

ment programme for Fletcher Concrete, Ltd,” the statement said.

Mr Phillips, aged 50, had been with the Mount Cook Group since August, 1973, as general manager. Before that he was manager of Allied Press, in Dunedin, which was formed after the merger of the “Otago Daily Times” and the “Evening Star/'

The Mount Cook Group has been undergoing some changes recently. Dominion Breweries, Ltd, is increasing its shareholding from 36.2 per cent to 45.77 per cent after its first foray into the group when Mount Cook was fighting a takeover bid from the T.N.L. Group.

Dominion Breweries said about two weeks ago that it had no particular plans for Mount Cook and there was no particular importance in the timing of its move.

Last week Mount Cook unveiled a new colour scheme for its aircraft and vehicles and Mr Phillips said the colours represented the beginning of "a new enhanced image for the company,”

Mount Cook Airline is bracing itself for the start of business by .Newmans Air, the T.N.L. Group’s newly formed domestic airline. Newmans Air, which will fly parallel along the tourist route pioneered between Auckland and Queenstown by Mount Cook Airline, has already been identified as a threat by Mr Phillips. It is due to begin flights on February 1 although further details of its services are being kept under tight wraps.