Heinemann Names Rosi Fernandez as Oceania MD

Rosi Fernandez has been appointed managing director of Global duty-free brand Heinemann's Oceania region, which covers Australia and New Zealand.

Fernandez will begin her new role on June 15, as the job is the result of a long global search.

The long-running executive joins Heinemann after a 30-year career at La Prairie Group, where was most recently managing director of the AU/NZ region. During her tenure, La Prairie grew to be one of Australia's most successful skin-care brands in distribution and expanded its sales outlets, such as the first La Prairie spa in Sydney Airport.

George Tsoukalas, who served as Oceania MD for almost seven years until early this year, is now out of the picture. Tsoukalas has since moved over to Sephora as GM of its AU/NZ market.

Fernandez brings to the role a wealth of luxury retail experience, making her the ideal person to continue with the duty-free retailer's vision locally, said Heinemann Asia Pacific CEO Johannes Sammann.

Key Highlights:

• Rosi Fernandez names Heinemann Oceania MD from June 15
• She joins after a 30-year career at La Prairie Group
• Fernandez will lead Heinemann’s airport retail operations across Sydney, Gold Coast, and Auckland

“Rosi has an established, sterling reputation in the travel retail industry, reinforcing our confidence in her seamless transition into the managing director role, and her capability of bringing our business to the next level,” Sammann said.

Fernandez said her appointment at Heinemann comes at a juncture.

“I have known and worked with the Heinemann team in Oceania for the past decade when they have been operating in the region, and have long admired their spirit of collaboration and dedication to retail excellence,” Fernandez said.

“I am very proud to be stepping in to lead that same team now and I am grateful for their and the Heinemann regional management team’s trust in me.”

Once she begins her new position, Fernandez will be responsible for spearheading key strategic initiatives in the Oceania region, steering the direction of Heinemann's airport locations in Sydney, Gold Coast and Auckland, and continuing to hone the team’s operational capabilities to uplift sales and conversion rates.

Before La Prairie, Fernandez served as a senior at the Australian department store, David Jones, the country's grandest luxury store.