HONG KONG. DFS Group, the world’s leading travel retailer, has unveiled a series of top-level changes involving new managing directors for five major markets.
The appointments will all take place between July and April, following an appropriate transition period in each case. They are part of the company’s strategic initiative of “building the bench and continuously developing and creating regional opportunities for high-calibre employees”.
Tim Delessio, currently Managing Director for Hawaii, will assume responsibility for Hong Kong Division, succeeding Peter Teo. Delessio joined DFS in 1998 as Senior Vice-President Hawaii and was promoted to Group Vice-President General Manager in Hawaii in 1999 and Managing Director in 2002. He was formerly with Macy’s East, Federated Department Stores and Allied Department Stores.
Peter Teo will assume responsibility for Singapore Division, succeeding Lee Charn Cheng (“CC”) as Managing Director. Teo moved to Hong Kong in November 2000 as Vice-President Stores and became Managing Director in 2002.
In turn, Lee Charn Cheng will assume responsibility for Australia Division, succeeding Frank Matz as Managing Director. Lee has held several senior roles at DFS, starting as a Department Manager in 1980 and becoming a General Manager in 1985. He later became Vice-President Operations in 1997 and then Managing Director Singapore in 2002. He set up Scottswalk Galleria and won “˜Best Retail Concept 2002′ awarded by the Singapore Retailers Association.
Frank Matz moves from Australia to assume responsibility for North America Division where he succeeds Stephen Timms as Managing Director. Matz joined DFS Group in 1997 as Vice-President, Merchandise Manager of Liquor/Tobacco. He then served as Vice-President Merchandising Process from 2000 to 2001 where he led a re-engineering of the company’s merchandising processes. In 2001 he was appointed Vice-President Global Merchandise Manager Liquor/Tobacco before relocating to Australia.
Stephen Timms will move from North America to take responsibility for Mid Pacific Division as Managing Director. He joined DFS in June 1996 as General Manager Cairns Galleria in Australia. He became General Manager of the Sydney Galleria in 1997 and in 1999 was named Vice-President Stores for Australia. In 2001 he was appointed Vice-President East for North America and in June 2003 became Managing Director North America.
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