Pounds 200,000 Dobson pay-off

OLIVER CHAPPLE has received pounds 200,000 for resigning last summer as chief executive of Dobson Park Industries, the industrial electronics and mining equipment group, writes John Shepherd.

The pay-off for his 12-month tenure in the job equates to about a year's remuneration, made up of salary, pension contributions and other benefits. He had a two-year rolling contract.

Previous reports that he resigned over personal differences with Alan Kaye, chairman and now acting chief executive, were dismissed yesterday.

'The basic reason that Oliver left was that the job itself had changed dramatically a year after he joined us. There were differences in views about the future direction, but there were no personal bust-ups,' Mr Kaye said.

Dobson will replace Mr Chapple, but it 'will be a few months' before it hires another chief executive.