Nuance Group forms partnership with Newrest in Australaisa

Tina Milton

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The Nuance Group and Newrest have formed a partnership in Australasia and Newrest will acquire 40% of The Nuance Group Australia & New Zealand's shares at the end of the month

The Nuance Group and Newrest have formed a partnership in Australasia. Under the deal Newrest will acquire 40% of The Nuance Group Australia & New Zealand's shares at the end of the month.

Newrest CEO Jonathan Stent-Torriani will lead the partnership on behalf of the board of directors and forthwith becomes vice-chairman of The Nuance Group Australia & New Zealand, reporting to The Nuance Group president and CEO Roberto Graziani. The Nuance Group Australia & New Zealand CEO Christian Strang and his management team will report to Stent-Torriani, who was Nuance CEO Australasia between 1997 and 2000, immediately.

Graziani said: “We are delighted to conclude this partnership with Newrest. It combines our global expertise and knowledge with a new level of entrepreneurial spirit and proven experience and record in the market. I believe the combination of the two companies’ competencies will boost motivation and creativity in a region where we have faced challenges over the past few years. I’m confident that this new partnership will bring significant value to our airport-owner clients and customers throughout the region.”

Nuance Australia & New Zealand chairman Nick Greiner said: “We are looking forward to working with Jonathan and the team to build a vibrant new future for our employees and customers at The Nuance Group Australia & New Zealand.”

Stent-Torriani commented: “This partnership continues Newrest’s strategic goal of developing travel-retail operations in food, beverage and retail globally, wherever opportunities exist. I’m personally excited to be working with The Nuance Group and look forward to working with the staff and management team of The Nuance Group Australia & New Zealand to identify and execute areas of improvement for the benefit of our clients, customers and employees.”

Newrest is a private company based in France with revenues in excess of SFr500m ($403m) per year. Newrest specialises in travel-retail services including airline and industrial catering, airport restaurants and bars, support services, remote site services and on board sales of food, beverages and retail goods. The company is majority owned by its management, led by its two CEOs Olivier Sadran and Stent-Torriani.