Woolies exec Paul Graham named new Australia Post CEO

Woolies exec Paul Graham named new Australia Post CEO

Paul Graham (pictured) has been appointed as the new CEO of Australia Post. (Image: provided).

Woolworths (ASX: WOW) chief supply chain officer Paul Graham has been named the next Australia Post CEO and managing director following the resignation of Christine Holgate in 2020.

Graham will start in the role in September, bringing along his experience with e-commerce and supply chains after an extensive career working for Woolworths and DHL.

Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo said Graham's appointment followed a thorough global search for a new CEO to lead the company's next phase of transformation.

"On behalf of the board I am so pleased to announce Paul as the next CEO of Australia Post an outstanding candidate with strong logistics, digital and retail experience both here and overseas, including as a senior executive at Deutsche Post DHL," Di Bartolomeo said.

"Paul has a demonstrated track-record of delivering results in large, complex organisations and is a proven leader managing large teams.

"The Board was impressed by Paul's 40 years' of deep industry experience working in supply chain in Australia, Europe and Asia. We are also confident Paul's community and customer philosophy is a perfect fit for Australia Post."

Graham said he was proud to be joining Australia Post at such an important time.

"Australia Post has proven itself to be one of the most resilient and successful postal businesses anywhere in the world.  I feel fortunate to be joining at a time when we can truly capitalize on the extraordinary growth in e-commerce experienced in the past year and continue developing our retail and digital offerings while keeping letter deliveries strong," Graham said.

"I am most looking forward to meeting the team across the country the posties, Post Office workers, mail processors and delivery drivers that kept our country operating during COVID19. I am also looking forward to getting out into regional Australia where Australia Post has an enormous presence, as well as meeting with the thousands of Post Office licensee partners who play a critical role every day serving the country.

"I have been so privileged to run Woolworths's supply chain for the past five years and it has shown me how important it is to keep our customers at the centre of everything we do without our customers we don't have a business."

Graham's salary has been set at close to $1.46 million fixed annual total remuneration, plus the potential to earn incentive payments to double that figure.

The Australia Post Board today also confirmed that Rodney Boys will continue to lead the business through the CEO transition period until Graham commences in September.

Shareholder ministers for Australia Post, Paul Fletcher and Simon Birmingham, welcomed the appointment of Graham.

"We trust Mr Graham will provide strong direction and leadership as Australia Post continues to deliver record numbers of parcels, even with border closures and ongoing logistical challenges," Fletcher and Birmingham said.

"His experience in building global logistics operations will also prove invaluable to local exporters, as Australia Post continues to invest in supply chains that connect Australian businesses to customers in new markets around the world.

"We would also like to thank Ms Christine Holgate once again for her service to Australia Post."

Graham's appointment follows the resignation of former CEO Christine Holgate who stepped down in the wake of an investigation into the gifting of luxury watches to executives as bonuses.

When it was revealed, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the gifts were "disgraceful and not on".

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