The CEO of specialist SAP consultancy firm Oxygen Business Solutions has opted to step down from the role rather than move to Australia, where the company has decided the role should be based.

Mike T Smith has been with the company, founded in 2001 as an off-shoot of Carter Holt Harvey’s IT department, since 2002. His successor will be Stuart Dickinson, formerly general manager – consulting and solutions for Oxygen in Australia.

Smith attributes his decision not to relocate to personal reasons, and says he is ‘delighted’ that Dickinson has accepted the role.

"The time is right for the chief executive role to be based in Australia so the company can continue its strong regional growth,” Smith says.

"[Dickinson] is a seasoned executive, knows both Oxygen and the SAP marketplace intimately, and is a natural fit to lead this next phase.”

Oxygen was purchased by UXC Pty Limited in January 2006, and has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra, as well as Auckland and Wellington.

Check out Smith’s LinkedIn page here.