RANCHO DOMINGUEZ, Calif., July 9, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- UTi Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq:UTIW) today announced the appointment of William H. Davidson, an established author in the field of international business management, to its board of directors, increasing the board to eight members.
Dr. Davidson, 49, is a founding partner and chairman of Red Rock Capital, an investment and consulting firm focusing on emerging growth companies. He also is a general partner and chairman of Invest Linc Emerging Growth Fund I and II, Limited Partnerships, with private investment funds in excess of $50 million.
Previously, Dr. Davidson was a tenured professor at the University of Southern California. His academic years span nearly two decades and also include positions with the University of Virginia and Dartmouth College. While at USC, he founded MESA Research, a management consulting firm that was acquired by Deloitte & Touche in 1996. He joined Deloitte and Touche as a national partner with leadership responsibility for the telecommunications and media practice, and helped grow the practice ten-fold over three years. Dr. Davidson has also served as a director on several public and private company boards.
"Bill Davidson brings a wealth of experience and international business acumen to our board as we continue to strengthen our global infrastructure," said Roger I. MacFarlane, UTi's chief executive officer. "We are extremely pleased to have an individual with the caliber of experience and professionalism in international management that Dr. Davidson brings to our company. His appointment to our board of directors further enhances our team of seasoned professionals and we look forward to his leadership and many contributions."
The Journal of International Business Studies recognized Dr. Davidson in 1996 as the most frequently cited author in the field of International Management during the 1985 to 1994 decade. Fortune Magazine selected his book, "2020 Vision," as the Best Business Book of the Year in 1992. Other authorings of global business and management books include, "Managing the Global Corporation," "Revitalizing American Industry" and "The Amazing Race." Dr. Davidson recently finished his latest work, "Breakthroughs of Champions: Formulas for Growth and Value Creation."
"I am honored to join this outstanding board, and look forward to working closely with the other directors in identifying additional growth opportunities for UTi," said Davidson. "The company is a well-managed growth company in the global logistics industry, and I am proud to be associated with such a dynamic organization."
Dr. Davidson earned his bachelor's degree in economics, as well as his master's and doctorate degrees in business administration from Harvard University.
About UTi Worldwide
UTi Worldwide Inc. is a global, non-asset-based supply chain management business providing supply chain logistics services and planning and optimization solutions. The company's services include freight forwarding, customs brokerage and warehousing services such as the coordination of shipping and the storage of raw materials, supplies, components and finished goods. Through its supply chain planning and optimization services, the company assists clients in designing and implementing systems that improve the predictability and visibility and reduce the overall cost of their supply chains. The company has a global and diverse business customer base ranging from large multinational enterprises to smaller local businesses. For more information about the company, visit its Website at www.go2uti.com.