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Online marketplace Etsy appoints Helen Souness as Australian MD

Screen Shot 2014-04-30 at 11.05.56 AMOnline marketplace Etsy.com has appointed Helen Souness as the company’s managing director for Australia and New Zealand, replacing country manager Jason Chuck who departed in December.

Souness joins Etsy from digital marketplace community Envato, where she was general manager. In her new role she will be responsible for increasing Etsy’s footprint for buyers and sellers across both markets.

“I’m delighted to work with the vibrant and talented community of sellers and buyers in Australia,” said Souness. “The Etsy team in Australia have been doing a great job of driving local traffic to the site, and we’re hoping to continue this upward trajectory by introducing Australian wares to new buyers and sellers all over the world.

“It seems to me that the ways Etsy maximises the benefits to makers and sellers of handmade goods, vintage and supplies is real proof of the company’s commitment to their local artists and suppliers, and this idea of reimagining commerce.”

Souness is also a former marketing director for jobs website Seek.com.au.

Since its launch in 2005, Etsy has grown to more than 40 million members, 25 million listings and 1 million shops in nearly 200 countries. The company says it generated $1.35bn in total merchandise sales in 2013.

Etsy does not release numbers on its Australian audience.

Nic Christensen 

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