Ramirez is Hobson's choice at Sage

20th Apr 2011 08:17

A change to the executive team at accounting software giant Sage has been forced on the company by the decision of Paul Stobart, head of the group's Northern Europe operations, to move on.Stobart, who has been with the group since 1996, will cease to be a director of Sage on 31 May 2011. Álvaro Ramírez, currently chief executive officer (CEO) of Sage Southern Europe will assume responsibility for all of Sage's European operations with immediate effect, reporting to Guy Berruyer, Sage's Group CEO.After paying tribute to Stobart's contribution to the group's development Sage chairman Tony Hobson talked up Ramirez's attributes and achievements."Alvaro joined Sage in 2003 having seen Grupo SP, the business he founded, bought by Sage. Subsequently he has grown Sage's Spanish business over 300%, both organically and by acquisition, and he has been at the forefront of Sage's strategy of increasing subscription revenues by selling premium support contracts," Hobson said. The organisational change means the next set of results from Sage, due on 4 May, will be organised into three regions: Europe, North America and AAMEA (Asia, Australia, Middle East and Africa). ---jh