Amazon appoints Oz manager, leases warehouse

Amazon has appointed Rocco Braeuniger as its country manager for Australia and has confirmed it will open its first Australian fulfilment centre in Dandenong South in Melbourne’s south-east, reports Fairfax.

Braeuniger has worked for Amazon for 11 years and is currently director of consumables at Amazon Germany.

Amazon Australia’s director of operations Robert Bruce said the company’s 24,000 square metre warehouse would employ ‘hundreds’ of people, although Amazon has not revealed when it will launch its retail operation.

Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) CEO Joel Becker said the ABA has requested meetings with the Victorian Premier, as well as the Victorian ministers for innovation, small business and creative industries. ‘Our concerns are rooted in the apparent impact that Amazon has had on local communities and economies in the US, UK and other markets, as well as the possible impact on our own (Australian) tax base; and to get an assurance that they will be playing by the same rules as businesses within Australia without any special privileges or subsidies.’

Becker said the ABA would ‘continue to work actively on behalf of our membership to ensure a level playing field, and tax fairness’.

Category: Local news