Amazon Australia’s country manager Rocco Braeuniger is leaving after just two years in the job to take a “senior international role within Amazon”, a spokesperson for the e-commerce company told Inside Retail.
Braeuniger arrived in Australia in 2017 to oversee the launch of Amazon’s marketplace and retail offering Down Under.
Since flipping the switch in December 2017, Amazon’s offering has grown to include more than 125 million products across 29 categories, as well as key services such as Fulfilment by Amazon and Prime. The company recently brought its startup incubator program, Launchpad, to Australia.
The Australian Financial Review cited retail experts as saying the platform’s performance in Australia has been underwhelming so far.
In April, Amazon Australia reported $106.26 million in revenue from retail sales in 2018, and an additional $4.32 million in revenue from subscriptions services, that is, Prime.
But Braueniger disputed the comments and reiterated to the AFR Amazon’s previous statement that its launch in Australia was its most successful launch to date.
Braeuniger will be replaced by Matt Furlong, from October 1, 2019, who has held a range of roles at Amazon in North America over the past seven years.
Furlong’s current title, according to LinkedIn, is director and technical adviser of Amazon North America. Previously, he was director and general manager of the home improvement, tools, major appliances and smart home category, and before that, category leader of musical instruments.
“In his new role, Matt will bring invaluable experience from his time in US retail leadership roles and we look forward to him continuing to lead the team in bringing great selection, everyday brilliant value, convenience and fast delivery to customers across Australia,” the Amazon spokesperson told Inside Retail.
