DFS Group creates Hong Kong merchandising office

Tina Milton

Print Article E-Mail Article E-Mail Author

The company’s San Francisco-based watches and jewellery, and liquor and tobacco divisions will move to Hong Kong on January 1

DFS Group merchandising president Michael Schriver has announced the creation of a new DFS merchandising office in Hong Kong, which will open on January 1. Two of the merchant organisations now headquartered in San Francisco, watches and jewellery and liquor and tobacco, will move to Hong Kong.

Schriver said: “Hong Kong is the leading watch market in the world and much of the growth we have accomplished in this category has been driven by the growth in sales to Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) customers. The presence of the brands in the market gives us an opportunity to solidify our relationships with these brands as we build the new DFS Macau Galleria and also develop a watch speciality store concept in Asia.”

Global vice-president watches and jewellery Luis Samaniego will relocate to Hong Kong and will continue to lead the explosive growth of this category.

“With the commitment we have to grow the liquor business at Singapore’s Changi airport, the successful negotiation to take over Auckland airport duty-free and more than double our business there, and with the development of other business in Asia, the move to Hong Kong of the liquor and tobacco team, headed by liquor and tobacco global vice-president John Hoover, will continue to drive business in this category,” Schriver added.

Schriver and the rest of the DFS Merchandising team will remain in San Francisco.