Alibaba Group, the operator of e-commerce platform Tmall and Taobao, has opened its Australian and New Zealand headquarters in Melbourne, Australia.
Tmall, Alibaba’s consumer retail website, is home to more than 1,300 Australian and 400 New Zealand brands.
Founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma said: “Australia will always have a special place in my heart and that’s why I am so pleased to come back to contribute to supporting Australian businesses to create opportunities and jobs in a country that has meant so much for me.
“With a local office and expert team, Alibaba Group will help Australian and New Zealand businesses share their world-famous products with billions of customers around the world.
“Whether a large company with existing links to China or a mum-and-dad run exporter operating out of a garage, Alibaba Group is here to make it easy to do business anywhere.”
The new HQ is located on Collins Street and the team will be headed up by Maggie Zhou, Australian and New Zealand Managing Director.
At the opening, Ma also signed a memorandum of understanding with Australia Post to help Australian businesses grow their international presence.
The agreement will see Alibaba working with Australia Post to develop the first Australian marketplace within the Lazada e-commerce network in South-East Asia.