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Tag: postal services

  • Australia Post CEO Paul Graham to Retire After More Than 5 Years

    Australia Post CEO Paul Graham to Retire After More Than 5 Years

    Australia Post CEO and managing director Paul Graham notified the government-owned business in October 2026 that he will retire after more than five years leading the postal operator.

    Graham will remain in post until the end of the current financial year. Australia Post chair Siobhan McKenna thanked him for steering the company through structural industry shifts, and the board has begun reviewing internal and external candidates for his replacement.

    Five Years of Modernisation

    Graham oversaw the execution of landmark operational reforms under the Post26 Strategy before introducing the Post30 modernisation program.

    McKenna credited Graham with transforming operations, improving customer experience, and establishing long-term sustainability without relying on taxpayer funding.

    “Paul delivered landmark reforms under our ‘Post26 Strategy’ with the support of our shareholders and launched the next phase of our modernisation through our Post30 plan,” McKenna said.

    “Paul has led Australia Post with purpose, determination and energy through a period of significant challenge for our business and the broader industries in which we operate,” McKenna added.

    E-Commerce Shift and Operating Costs

    The carrier navigated an unprecedented period of sector-wide change while reinforcing its footprint in Australia’s digital shopping economy, which included raising parcel surcharges to offset soaring energy costs.

    Graham highlighted the enterprise’s unique position as a self-sustaining public utility throughout his tenure.

    “Australia Post is a remarkable organisation with a unique place in the lives and hearts of the Australian community, and I am extremely proud of what our team has achieved,” he said.

    “We have worked hard to ensure Australia Post remains one of the very few national postal operators to not require government funding and remain in public hands, while continuing to invest and grow our operations and supporting our team members, licensees and the Australian community.”

    Succession and Handover

    Graham confirmed he will stay focused on running day-to-day operations while assisting the board with a smooth leadership handover over the coming months.

  • SingPost Trials Digital Stamps from 62 Cents for Domestic Mail

    SingPost Trials Digital Stamps from 62 Cents for Domestic Mail

    Singapore Post launched a public trial for digital stamps on Oct 8, allowing consumers across Singapore to send domestic mail using unique codes purchased through its mobile app.

    Postage costs 62 cents for standard regular mail and 90 cents for standard large envelopes, sold in minimum purchases of five stamps valid for 24 months. Users no longer need physical stamps or labels.

    How the digital code system works

    Buyers purchase stamps in the app and write the generated alphanumeric code on the top-right corner of standard envelopes or postcards. They can drop the mail into any street posting box, post office counter, or residential letterbox return slot.

    For the trial running until April 6, 2027, SingPost is discounting five-stamp regular sets to $1 from $3.10. Five-stamp sets for large mail cost $1.50 during the promotional window. Accounts are limited to one discounted purchase each.

    Sorting automation and optical recognition

    Handling handwritten codes shifts operational pressure onto sorting centers. The trial tests optical character recognition scanners on live mail volumes. SingPost will calibrate sorting accuracy across different handwriting styles.

    Gan Heng, head of customer experience at SingPost, said:

    “Digital stamps remove that barrier entirely.”

    Digital postage applies strictly to domestic basic mail, including letters, postcards, and printed paper items. Alongside the scanning trial, SingPost added collectible digital graphics to the app. Users unlock commemorative designs, such as a 61st National Day theme and a Fullerton Building graphic, every 15 purchases.

    Network adjustments across residential hubs

    This trial links with the operator’s residential collection rollout completed in September. Dubbed SingPost@MyBlock, that project converted letterbox return slots across more than 20,000 residential buildings into collection points for outbound letters and small parcels.

    Postal operators across the Asia-Pacific region face declining letter volumes as corporate billing and consumer correspondence move online. SingPost cuts the overhead of running stamp vending machines and retail counter queues by digitising postage, while keeping its collection network active.

    Next steps in the rollout

    Neighborhood infrastructure expanded after first-quarter operating profit rose 55.2 per cent to $4.1 million on cost cuts in core delivery units. Connecting app payments to automated sorting machinery forms the next stage of the overhaul.

    A four-day public show at SingPost Centre in Paya Lebar runs through Oct 11 to demonstrate the scanning workflows. The trial will gather consumer feedback through the mobile application until the test period closes on April 6, 2027.