Juliana Moss says she relishes the opportunity to launch a strong global brand locally, after becoming New Zealand country manager for satellite navigation products company TomTom.
“The [New Zealand GPS] market is extremely untapped. The prices have been very high for a long time so the opportunity is huge,” claims Moss, who resigned as D-Link business manager to take up her new role at the start of October.
“TomTom’s strength is on usability and we’re focused on supporting some key retailers, [so that they] know how to train people to use the products.”
Netherlands-based TomTom is the number-one satellite navigation brand by market share in Europe and is available in 25 countries.
Moss says she wasn’t looking for a new job, but was contacted by TomTom’s Australian managing director Andrew Cooper.
Moss has recruited a retail account manager and is currently running the operation from home. However, the vendor will expand staff numbers and may find a premises “as required”, she says.
An Australian-based marketing manager visits New Zealand about once a month, with the help desk run from Australia.
D-Link Australia/New Zealand marketing director Maurice Famularo says it is recruiting for Moss’ replacement, but has existing staff looking after the retail side of her previous role. He says D-Link plans to increase sales staff numbers here.
Ingram Micro will distribute TomTom locally, as it does in Australia.
