Campaign for Wool New Zealand general manager - advocacy and until recently chairman Tom O'Sullivan at home with the sheep in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Warren Buckland
Campaign for Wool New Zealand general manager - advocacy and until recently chairman Tom O'Sullivan at home with the sheep in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Warren Buckland
A new strategy to get New Zealand’s strongwool back on the path to the global highs of the past has been launched by the Hawke’s Bay-led New Zealand arm of the worldwide Campaign for Wool.
The strategy of charitable trust CFWNZ, tasked with advancing the education and promotion ofNew Zealand wool, is linked to a series of key appointments announced recently, including that of Hawke’s Bay man Tom O’Sullivan to the role general manager - advocacy.
He relinquishes the position of chairman he’s held for the last three years, the second Hawke’s Bay chairman in the 12 years since the Campaign for Wool was launched, as a personal interest, by Prince Charles in the UK in 2010.
As HRH King Charles III, he retains his interest, and the position of patron, with some conjecture that a Royal Coronation tour may include Hawke’s Bay, partly because of the connection.
Succeeding O’Sullivan as CFWNZ chairman is Canterbury wool exporter and industry leader Ryan Cosgrove who becomes the third chairman closely linked to Hawke’s Bay, the founding leader having been Stephen Fookes, who also lives in the region.
Born in Australia, Cosgrove moved to Napier at the age of 13, already inseparable from the fibre industry with a family background in cotton and soon extended to the wool industry in New Zealand, including a holiday job with Wright Wool in Waipukurau between studies at Victoria University.
Completing the Hawke’s Bay links is former Iona College pupil Kara Biggs, who takes the second new pivotal role, that of general manager – strategy.
The strategy outlines how the CFWNZ will narrow its focus to three primary strategic pillars, ensuring that New Zealand wool – in particular, strong wool – is better understood both here and abroad as a fully sustainable, natural, high performance super fibre.
Cosgrove says the CFWNZ Strategy 2023-2025 is instrumental in clarifying the trust’s vision as it moves into a new phase of growth, establishing New Zealand wool as a premium product across the globe and shifting buying preferences.
Going places - Hawke's Bay wool industry leader Tom O'Sullivan, now Campaign for Wool New Zealand general manager advocacy, pictured as recent Campaign for Wool New Zealand chairman, with global Campaign for Wool global patron Prince Charles, now HRH King Charles III. Photo / Supplied
“We exist to support our fantastic wool producers and achieve the best possible outcomes for them in terms of strong wool promotion and price,” he says.
“But just as important, we’re focused on ensuring conscientious, climate-minded consumers have access to, and information about, sustainable products they can not only wear, but build and furnish their homes with.”
Three core strategic pillars encompass strong wool education, promotion and advocacy.
Wool in Schools, an initiative that has seen more than 25,000 primary aged children learn about the myriad benefits and uses of wool, will be revamped and reinvigorated through the use of digital technology.
“We also plan to improve our offering and bring it into secondary and tertiary settings,” Cosgrove says.
“There is already so much innovation in the wool space, including major technical advancements in the application of wool,” he says.
“Excellence in wool education will be key to its growth as the fibre of choice for future generations.”
A new digital partner portal will be developed to give CFWNZ’s brand partners across the supply chain, from wool producers to the manufacturers of woollen products, the resources they need to tell their stories well.
Wool promotion is set to focus more keenly on the benefits of wool in housing and architecture, with CFWNZ committed to developing better ways for those at the coalface to specify woollen products in the buildings and infrastructure they create.
“Our builders, architects, designers and developers are in a position to really move the dial when it comes to wool use,” Cosgrove says.
“But their ability to choose wool ahead of synthetic products remains a challenge. We’ll support them with the development of a toolkit that will allow them to specify wool flooring, panelling and insulation at the click of a mouse.”
CFWNZ will advocate for New Zealand wool globally, working hard with its brand partners, growers, industry and international counterparts to develop a stronger and more cohesive market. It also aims to advocate locally, specifically targeting government.
“If government buildings and housing projects were developed using wool, our government could take a huge step forward in its goal of reaching carbon zero, supporting our community of committed strong wool growers at the same time.”
Cosgrove says he is thrilled to be launching CFWNZ’s three-year strategy and excited to be taking on his new role as chair following O’Sullivan’s successful tenure.
“Tom has been a huge asset to the campaign, and it’s fantastic that now, we retain his considerable knowledge, passion and networking skills as general manager – advocacy.”
“He’ll be fully focused on supporting and enabling our wool market, while Kara Biggs, as general manager – strategy, who has driven and authored our strategy, directs her decades of strategic and branding expertise into driving our promotional programmes and strengthening our education pillar.
“These are big years ahead, but these changes bring real depth to the Campaign for Wool team. We’re now in the best possible position to achieve our vision, accelerating our support of the strong wool sector with a focused three-year strategy and a skilled and widely experienced team in place to deliver it.”
