Altech chief operating officer Andy Baker has resigned. Baker, who worked closely with Altech CEO Craig Venter, has left the technology and telecommunications group to head up privately owned digital printing and labelling company, Kemtek Imaging Systems.

Baker (pictured), who joined Altech four years ago as MD of its Netstar vehicle-tracking subsidiary, says he is leaving the group on good terms. “I had a private dinner with [Altron chairman Bill] Venter just last week, which was really, really nice.”

JSE-listed Altech is a subsidiary of Altron.

Though Baker was tipped as a potential successor to Craig Venter, he says he felt the need to “take a different route” where he could “own a part of the business”. He is buying an equity stake in Kemtek.

“I’ve been working for big corporates for the past 20 years, so it’s very interesting for me to make this move,” he says.

Baker was Altech’s chief operating officer for the past 30 months. Before joining the group as MD of Netstar, he headed up DHL in Southern Africa.

He says Kemtek, which turns over “several hundred million rand a year”, is looking to expand and may do so through acquisition, both at home and internationally. Sasfin Bank is a significant minority shareholder in Kemtek.

Altech has no immediate plans to fill Baker’s position at Altech. “Craig’s intention is to have the operations report directly into him, at least for a while,” Baker says. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral