New Zealand retail group Postie Plus Group Limited (PPGL) has restructured its executive leadership team and will relocate its key merchandising and marketing functions to Auckland, as it gears for future growth.
As recently reported on ragtrader.com.au, the company recently announced plans to sell its childrenswear brand, Babycity, in a bid to reconcile its retail operations and focus on building the flagship Postie brand and business model.
In a recent statement to the market, group CEO Ron Boskell said that shareholders have now approved the move sell the Babycity chain, and PPGL is ready to action the next phase of its strategy, starting with two senior appointments to drive the changes and a move northwards to be located closer to customers and growth markets.
Current Postie general manager, David Primus, has been appointed to a new role as general manager strategy, focusing on acquisition and e-commerce strategies as well as a range of business development projects.
Seasoned apparel retailer, Jane Gammon, who has previously worked as international business manager for childrenswear brand Pumpkin Patch, will then take up the Postie general manager role.
Gammon, who has also held roles at chain retailers The Warehouse and Debenhams in the UK, will take up the post at PPGL in June.
“We have talked a lot about our strategy to become a modern, exciting retailer for all the family with a nationwide network of stores and an appealing online shopping presence,” Boskell said.
“We want to double in size and while some growth will be organic we are venturing into extending our range and reach through the acquisition of compatible brands and with that in mind we will progressively shift our base from Christchurch to Auckland where our greatest growth opportunities lie.”
Postie’s merchandising, planning and marketing functions will also move to Auckland in early 2013 with finance, IT, logistics and HR sectors remaining in Christchurch until 2014 along with the group's specialty school uniform supply business, Schooltex.
The group, which currently operates a nationwide chain of 83 apparel stores in total said there will be no financial impact of the relocation in the current financial year with provisions to be made in 2013 and 2014 budgets. All staff affected will also be offered redundancy and job placement assistance.