MELBOURNE: The Australian head of New Zealand apparel company Hallenstein Glasson has fortified her intention to boost the company's Australian presence by announcing a decision to relocate its buying team to Melbourne.
It is understood up to five buyers from Christchurch will shift to Melbourne by the end of the year.
Shayne Quanchi, who has been at the helm of the company for just two months and is herself based in the Victorian capital, was quoted in Fairfax newspapers as stating fashion direction was a core function of the company that needed to be near the growth opportunities identified in Australia.
The move will not affect Glassons' other operations with financial services, visual merchandising, retail, marketing and distribution remaining in Christchurch and company headquarters staying in Auckland.
The news comes as the group announced a 5.3 per cent drop in sales with group sales over the quarter ending May 11 falling to $NZ50.27 million ($A41.09 million).
The company runs 25 Glassons stores in Australia and 36 in New Zealand.