Retail

Perth's grocery wars, amplified by giant Aldi’s market push and price cuts by Coles and Woolworths, have claimed five struggling smaller supermarkets over the past five months.

AP Eagers has increased its interest in Automotive Holdings Group by 9.15 per cent, as the takeover target appointed a former KPMG and Ernst and Young partner as its new chairman.

Japanese fashion store UNIQLO has announced it will open a second Perth store at Westfield Carousel this winter.

ANALYSIS: As many retailers struggle to deal with the internet revolution, Wesfarmers is undertaking two significant experiments in managing the disruptive influence of online trading to bricks-and-mortar businesses.

Coles is offloading management of its 87 pubs, including four in Western Australia, in a $200 million deal with private equity controlled Australian Venue Co.

Menswear retailer Ed Harry, which employs 93 staff across 19 stores in Western Australia, has been placed in voluntary administration with an immediate clearance sale of merchandise coming into effect as creditors assess the business.

Cash Converters International has appointed Bank of Queensland's Sydney-based group executive, Brendan White, as its new chief executive, starting in March next year.

Disruption, a demerger and divestments are shaping Wesfarmers’ long-term approach to growth, managing director Rob Scott told last week’s Success & Leadership breakfast.

Wesfarmers chief executive Rob Scott says while decisions to sell out of Bunnings’ loss-making operations in the UK and Ireland, and to demerge supermarkets giant Coles, were easy in a commercial sense, the Bunnings move in particular proved taxing on an emotional level.