Former Printing Industries Association of Australia CEO Dr Chris Peters AM has died following a long battle with cancer.

Dr Peters was Printing Industries CEO from 1993-1996.

During his time with Printing Industries Dr Peters drove a three-year restructuring of the organisation from its traditional industrial relations services base into a member services focused organisation. He also oversaw the reduction in the size of its National Council from 21 to 15 members.

Dr Peters led the re-branding of the association from the Printing and Allied Trades Employers Federation of Australia (PATEFA) to its current form and was instrumental in the organisation of Australia’s bicentenary of print in 1996.

Printing Industries CEO Bill Healey said he knew Dr Peters well through his association with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a number of other industry bodies.

"Chris was always an imposing figure, a gentleman and diplomat. His commitment to the development of Australian business was reflected in his many corporate memberships and honors and he was regarded by many as one of Australia’s leading authorities on corporate governance," he said.

"Chris fought a long and courageous battle against pancreatic cancer maintaining his strong work ethic until the very end.

"Our Board members and staff, some of whom served with Chris, were saddened to hear the news of his passing and extend their deepest sympathies to his wife Jo Peters."

Dr Peters held the role of CEO of the ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1997 until his passing and received the Order of Australia Award (AM) in 2004. In 2012 he was honored by the ACT Government as the Canberra Citizen of the Year.

A private burial service was held on Tuesday and it is anticipated that a memorial service will be organised in due course.

Chris’s family have requested privacy in their time of grief and have also requested that donations be made in his memory to pancreatic cancer research in lieu of flowers.