Hulley to retire from Clays role as Cuomo steps up

Clays c.e.o. Paul Hulley is retiring from his role next year, to be replaced by Edoardo Cuomo.

Hulley (pictured, top) will step down in May 2022 and will then continue on the board as a non-executive director and senior advisor.

Cuomo, who has now been named deputy c.e.o., will take on the top role when Hulley retires. The pair will work closely together over the next 12 months, “ensuring a smooth transition and establishing the next major phase of the strategic business plan for Clays”.

Hulley joined the board of Clays in 2010 from John Lewis, and steered the business through the transition from St Ives to new owners Elcograf, one of Europe’s largest print businesses, in 2018. Clays said Hulley had helped it play a leading role in reducing cost and time in the books supply chain.

He said: “It has been my immense privilege to lead Clays in recent years, working with our customers and partners through a time of extraordinary change and success in the physical book market. Having worked closely with Edoardo over the last three years, I know the business will thrive under his leadership and I am delighted to be continuing my own involvement through the non-executive and advisor roles.”

His successor (pictured, right) had an early career in corporate finance with Mediobank and KPMG, and moved to the UK to join the Clays leadership team when his family acquired the business three years ago. Until now the commercial director at Clays, he has also participated in the management of the family business at group level, as a member of the leadership team at Elcograf.

Cuomo commented: "After three years working with Paul and his team I am excited now to be taking the role of Deputy CEO, before succeeding Paul when he retires. Of course, I greatly look forward to leading the business and continuing Clays’ long established tradition of leading from the front to deliver the most effective supply solutions for the physical book. We have a very strong management team and I will enjoy working closely with them to support our customers and staff."

The printing firm has also announced a “major” investment programme including a new binding line for hardbacks and paperbacks and a casemaker, to be installed in time for the autumn peak season. Extra print capacity is also expected to be in place later this year, with more to follow in 2022, the company said.

Mario Pozzoni, president at Elcograf, said: “We have been proud to have Clays as such an important part of Elcograf since 2018 and have very much enjoyed working with Paul, his team and their great customers. We are now in a strong position to take the business forward, confirming our long term commitment to the UK book industry and on-going investment in Clays, with Edoardo’s transition to c.e.o. and Paul’s continued involvement at board level.”