Christopher J. “Chris” Payne has been Director Market Strategy and Research, for the Graphic Communication Group of Kodak since June 2004. In this capacity he has led the formation of the group market strategy including the acquisition of the companies that comprise GCG and today is focused on creating a complete solution portfolio for the market that improves our customers business.

Prior to his current position Chris was chief marketing officer of NexPress Solutions LLC, which at the time, was a joint venture of Kodak. Payne, who joined NexPress in spring 1999, lead the companies sales and marketing efforts as it became a world-leading marketer and manufacturer of digital printing solutions.

Prior to joining NexPress, Payne served as Director of Marketing for Xeikon N.V., a post he took in Febuary1998 to extend Xeikon’s position as one of the world’s leading companies in the digital color print market. Payne joined Xeikon in April 1996 as Vice President of Marketing for Xeikon North America Inc. where he successfully established Xeikon N.V.’s first overseas subsidiary operation in Chicago.

Payne was educated in Scotland and was graduated with top honors from Napier College in Edinburgh where he studied Printing, Administration and Production. He later spent two years in sales for web and sheet-fed printers prior to joining pre-press equipment manufacturer, Crosfield Electronics Ltd. in the UK.

At Crosfield, Payne gained vast experience in international sales and marketing within the graphics communication market through a series of senior appointments. From his first position in the Market Research department at Crosfield in 1988, he progressed rapidly to become Business Manager of File Servers in 1992. Payne was promoted to UK Country Manager in 1994 and, one year later, advanced to the position of Business Manager for the Output Systems group, directing Crosfield's largest business division with millions of dollars in revenue.

Payne was elected as a full member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in 1995.

About Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak is the world’s foremost imaging innovator. With sales of $13.3 billion in 2006,the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak’s system of digital and traditional products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images; and leading Healthcare organizations rely on Kodak’s innovative products, services and customized workflow solutions to help improve patient care and maximize efficiency and information sharing within and across their enterprise.