Amazon will lose its China manager by year’s end

Amazon.com Inc.’s executive in charge of China will leave his job by the end of the year, the e-retailer said today. 

Amazon, No. 1 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, gave no reason for the departure of Hanhua Wang. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has served as the e-retailer’s country manager for China since May 2005.

“Hanhua has built a great team and has been a significant contributor to Amazon's growth in China,” says Craig Berman, Amazon’s vice president of global communications. “We wish him all the best.”

Berman provided no further details about the departure, and did not comment on a report in the Wall Street Journal that Amazon vice president of retail operations Steve Frazier will oversee the Chinese market until the e-retailer appoints a permanent successor.   

In its third quarter financial report, Amazon said that its international sales totaled $5.92 billion, up 19.8% from the third quarter of 2011. International accounted for 42.9% of sales in the third quarter.