Amazon opens Australian office

The company's Asia-Pacific managing director of its Web Services division Shane Owenby and global chief research officer Werner Vogels hit Sydney today for a half-day presentation to a moderate-sized group of clients at the ritzy Sofitel Wentworth hotel in the downtown central business district. A similar event was held in Melbourne previously in the week.

It has earlier been unclear whether Amazon has dedicated staff in Australia. But, Owenby told the crowd that the company had launched a local office to support its growing Web Services business. Clients had asked Amazon: "Will we see staff in Australia?" said Owenby. "The answer is yes."

The lack of local staff

Apart from the lack of local staff, another sticking point for Australian clients looking to adopt Amazon's services has been the lack of an Australia-based datacentre, with the closest facilities being located in Singapore and on the West Coast of the United States. Amazon's other main facilities are located in Europe, America's East Coast and Japan, and it operates a number of other smaller fringe facilities as part of its global content distribution network.

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