Page 52 - Print 21 Magazine Jul-Aug 2020

Print People
A new playbook
for a changed game
The world is in uncharted waters of pandemics, lockdowns, and social distancing. Economies have all but ground to a halt, there’s a sense of wartime emergency driving business decisions and no one knows when and where it’s all going to end. It is not the ideal time to be taking control of your first command, but Craig Heckenberg stepped up as managing director of Epson Australia and New Zealand late last year, just before it hit. He talks with Patrick Howard about the challenges of doing business in this time of pandemic.
Bruno Turcato was more than a boss to Craig Heckenberg; the first Australian managing director of Epson Australia
and New Zealand was a mentor for most of the 20 years the two worked together. When he retired last year, he left his successor a wealth of strategic information and advice to cover every eventuality. “But the one thing he didn’t have in his drawer was a playbook for what to do in
a pandemic like Covid-19,” laughs Heckenberg.
The best-laid plans of mice
and men generally prove that not everything can be planned for,
every eventuality cannot be insured against. Challenging times call
for creative initiatives, forcing the individual to rely on their own sense of what’s required. It’s the mark of
a true leader that they rise to meet circumstances. For Heckenberg,
that means remaining calm and making use of the time to implement strategic measures, refine, and up- skill his organisation’s capability, while planning for the recovery.
“In light of the dramatic changes made to our daily working life, now is a time for up-skilling and adapting to our new environment in order
to be in the best possible position
for the recovery. The pandemic hit our shores really quickly; it affected business as a whole. People became worried about their jobs, anxiety levels went through the roof, and forecasts changed weekly. In mid- March I’d leave on Friday having understood the new government guidelines and by Monday, they’d changed” Heckenberg says.
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We were talking over the phone due to stay at home orders in April, both of us in Sydney – he in Collaroy, and me in Elizabeth Bay. It was supposed to be a video call over Skype but his newly switched-on NBN couldn’t take it. It was dropping out every few minutes during a previous call. Somehow it seemed symbolic of the challenges the new managing director is facing in his first year.
“It’s been a tough year starting with the bushfires, which were very challenging for everyone, especially for those communities on the front line. Certainly it’s not what I was expecting for the first 12 months
in the job. Luckily, I’ve been in the business for more than 20 years. I’ve built strong networks both within and outside the company. These are people, colleagues and friends, I can look to for help to navigate through these difficult times.
Heckenberg has learnt that with his new role come expectations
from customers, business partners and staff. As a leader he’s somehow expected to have greater knowledge and insight. People expect answers to improbable questions as if he has a special line into the future.
“People are naturally very anxious during this difficult time. Customers and business partners want to
know you are there for them, while employees want to be reassured
they will have a job at the end of this period. My role is to work with our team to make decisions that will enable the business to adapt quickly to the ever-changing conditions
and make sure we all get through this together.”
Above
Long term: Craig Heckenberg, CEO Epson ANZ
The man for the job
It’s no real surprise that Heckenberg
is occupying the top job at Epson Australia and New Zealand. Like every good soldier, he has carried a field marshal’s baton in his knapsack ever since he joined the company. He is one of a select group of locals heading a Japanese-owned company in Australia, a testament to the enthusiasm and far- sightedness that first drew him to the enterprise 20 years ago.
“Back then I saw what was happening in the industry. I had already invested six years in inkjet, and I was quite excited about its potential. We were all working out what you could do with it, how far you could take it. It has certainly come a long way since those early days, and it now plays a central role in many industries.”
“I took the opportunity when
it came up to join Epson back in August 2000. The company had just launched one of their first large format printers and the quality that was coming off the page was absolutely amazing, something no one had seen before. So I naturally