Toys ‘R’ Us’ 34 stores, e-commerce operations and 1,700 employees across Australia will fall into the hands of newly appointed MD Campbell Lennox, who steps into the new role on May 26.

Lennox’s responsibilities will include marketing, merchandising, store operations and customer service excellence across the country, and he will report to Monika Merz, president of Toys ‘R’ Us Asia Pacific.

The retail and management vet most recently served as GM of merchandise operations for Harvey Norman, where he led a team in integrating the in-store and online shopping experience and ensuring a strong in-stock position through supply chain management.

That experience will likely come in handy as Toys ‘R’ Us continues to endure falling sales and ongoing stocking woes. With a long-rumored IPO still on hold and its bond ratings in flux, the 65-year-old toy retailing institution reported that net 2013 holiday sales fell to US$5.9 billion, down US$47 million from the same period a year ago. Domestic store sales fell 1.1% and by 2.7% internationally in the same quarter.