AMR shuts HK office to run service from Sydney

<p>SYDNEY: AMR Interactive has closed its Hong Kong office, and will </p><p>operate its regional research services from Sydney. The move comes less </p><p>than one year after the research company launched its Asian </p><p>operations. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, a senior executive at the company denied that the decision to </p><p>close the Hong Kong office was due to the slowdown in business. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Things are difficult in Asia at the moment, but the reason we decided </p><p>this was because it made more sense to handle all clients from here </p><p>(Sydney)," said Steve Garton, former chief executive officer of the </p><p>company's Hong Kong office. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He said that in the past AMR had conducted most of its work from </p><p>Australia, drawing on its Hong Kong operation only when necessary. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We will carry on servicing the same clients from Sydney. Part of the </p><p>decision was based on the change that I would be taking on an additional </p><p>role at the Sydney operation. And we were fortunate to have a lean </p><p>operation - just one other staff apart from myself - so it was rather </p><p>simple to move. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We live in a virtual world and there is no reason we can not service </p><p>our clients just as well from Sydney using email and phones. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"From the client's standpoint, there will not be much change." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>