Fran O'Sullivan
Head of Business
Head of Business, NZME
We are your advocate, Aotearoa. Uncovering stories that matter, asking hard-hitting questions of those in power, live-blogging sport events, monitoring the highs and lows of the NZX and providing Premium expert opinion and analysis. Bringing you distinctive, quality journalism and breaking news from across New Zealand and around the world. With specialists working together to create indepth reads, engaging video, and unmissable podcasts.
Check out Fran’s latest content
Doubling Kiwi exports to grow NZ’s wealth
NZTE has launched a new global investment drive.
Fran O’Sullivan: Minister scores world trade talks win but tough season looms
OPINION: The Minister of Trade has his work cut out in a pivotal US election year.
NZ on the line in Dubai for COP28
New Zealand political leaders have talked a big game on climate change.
When China sneezes the world (and New Zealand) catch a cold
CEOs and directors respond to the Herald’s 2023 Election Survey.
NZ needs to flourish in international markets, MPI boss says
Half NZ's greenhouse gas emissions are from agriculture, here's how we stay in the game.
Fran O'Sullivan: How China’s growth story is changing
OPINION: Investors are fuelling up their corporate jets.
Fran O'Sullivan: Logging inquiry must be just the first step
Scale of damage on East Coast demands a Royal Commission.
NZ's objectives for CPTPP
Trade ministers from 11 nations will gather in Auckland on Matariki weekend.
Big trade agenda for Damien O’Connor at Davos
The Minister for Trade and Export Growth acknowledges the situation has become dicey.
Three Waters 'the right thing to do’ - Grant Robertson
Government will press ahead with plans for co-governance in Three Waters reforms.
Fran O'Sullivan: 'Shameless' PM spruiks NZ
OPINION: A jet setting Jacinda Ardern is clocking up the kilometres and trade deals.
Fran O'Sullivan: How many eggs fit into a Chinese basket?
Questions are again being asked about NZ reliance on giant market.
Fran O'Sullivan: NZ-UK free trade deal seen as a down payment
Britain keen to go further and join the Asia-Pacific region's CPTPP.
Fran O'Sullivan: Importance of trade a silver lining from Covid's dark clouds
The pandemic has exposed the need for co-operation on trade matters among countries.
'We saw China almost stop overnight' - Fonterra boss
In China, the company's food service business effectively dried up through February.
Agribusiness shining star of the Covid-19 crisis
Fran O'Sullivan summarises this year's Agribusiness report.
Fran O'Sullivan: Zespri plans legal action over IP theft
Litigation pending after up to 2500ha of illegal plantings propagated from prime plants.
Fran O'Sullivan: Fonterra's challenge - keeping to its new plan
Board and management will have to do better than they have so far.
Fran O'Sullivan: They were CEOs of three huge NZ companies. All foreign, all left under a cloud.
COMMENT: Horrible symmetry in three vaunted arrivals.
Fran O'Sullivan: Four choice cuts from red meat talks
Some key takeouts from the Christchurch conference.
MPI boss outlines priorities amid challenging time for farmers
Ray Smith spoke with Fran O'Sullivan at MPI's Wellington HQ to talk about his focus.
Fran O'Sullivan: Ardern's line in the sand on FTA with US
Ardern discloses bottom lines after Winston Peters' bold pitch for a bilateral deal.
Parker tells officials to fast track China free trade agreement upgrade
Progress has been made but certain dairy industry proposals are off the table.
Fonterra resetting its strategy in China
Fonterra is putting its China investment setbacks behind it.
Fran O'Sullivan: Chinese relations must get back on track
Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis should be on the first plane up to China.
Fran O'Sullivan: Brain tumour felled Fonterra's last hands on chairman
John Wilson was passionately devoted to Fonterra.
Act now to save the seeds of NZ's future
Selling PGG Wrightson's "crown jewels" is an asset strip of the NZ rural services firm.
Fran O'Sullivan: There's still Miles of work ahead for Fonterra
Comment: Hurrell is still in the invidious position of being a caretaker CEO.
Why we need grown-ups to lead Fonterra
Dairy co-operative's new leaders have a lot of work ahead of them.
Why appointment of Monaghan is a controversial choice
Fonterra's new chairman has many obstacles to navigate.
Sowing new seeds
Damien O'Connor is shaking up old thinking on agri-food with his ginger group.
Shining Green light on farms
James Shaw says environmental goals can help foster new innovations for agribusiness.
Fran O'Sullivan: 'Rough' calculations are sobering reading
COMMENT: The impact of Fonterra and Fletchers on the economy can't be ignored.
O'Sullivan: Ardern's oil ban short-sighted
COMMENT: Announcement clearly timed to build up her international reputation.
Fonterra negotiating 'roadblocks' in China
Fonterra's John Wilson and Theo Spierings talk about their China position.
Fletcher, Fonterra - time to get a grip
OPINION: Blue-chip duo need to face up to problems at loss-making operations.
Fonterra's China plan far from clear
OPINION: Dairy giant risks losing the PR battle over problems at Beingmate.
Fran O'Sullivan: Fonterra has to face up to debacle at Beingmate
OPINION: Spierings and Wilson will have some tough questions to answer.
Fran O'Sullivan: No TPP glory for Trump
OPINION: While US President was flattered, other nations worked on a trade deal.
Fran O'Sullivan: 'Fat cats' in Peters' sights
COMMENT: So what else is on NZ First's corporate reform agenda?
Come clean on tax? Let's do that
COMMENT: Voters deserve better than Labour's 'trust us' approach.
Welcome to the Agribusiness 2017
Agribusiness 2017 covers the latest development in agriculture in the election year.
We're on your side, Nats tell farmers
COMMENT: National is not going to shy away from a fight over polarising issues.
$80k Trump bash is money well spent
COMMENT: The $80,000 bill for a Trump Inauguration Gala was money well spent.
Mexico pushes for trade deal with NZ
Trade Minister Todd McClay will request that talks on a Mexican free trade deal be placed on the agenda when he meets his counterpart in Mexico.
Fran O'Sullivan: Reading between the lines
It didn't take an Einstein to get who Bill English was really talking about at his Chinese New Year dinner speech, Fran O'Sullivan writes.
Time for English to act on US trade deal
COMMENT: Bill English should act sooner rather than later if he wants to get a bilateral trade deal with the US on the table, Fran O'Sullivan writes.
Fran O'Sullivan: Don't get down about Trump
COMMENT: John Key tries to smooth fears of a rising tide of US protectionism.
Good news for cash-strapped farmers
Fonterra today increased its 2016/17 forecast Farmgate Milk Price by 75 cents to $6.00 per kgMS.
Fran O'Sullivan: Trump good news?
COMMENT: There is a distinct possibility that Donald Trump's presidency may turn out to be good for business.
Ministers were played over Saudi sheep
COMMENT: Auditor-General's findings are a scathing assessment of the lack of transparency, Fran O'Sullivan writes.
Fraud exposes Fonterra's supply chain
COMMENT: My lunch guest was the alleged fraudster at the heart of the expired milk products scam, Fran O'Sullivan writes.
Fran O'Sullivan: TPP hot topic on political agenda
COMMENT: Trump has turned international trade into a political minefield with his opposition to agreements like the TPP.
Fran O'Sullivan: Fonterra emerging from long winter
COMMENT: It is still too early for Fonterra's top brass to perform a victory roll.
O'Sullivan: NZ refuses to learn lessons of failure
COMMENT: Aussies don't muck about when it comes to probing the cause of high-profile collapses - neither should we.
Bankers anxiously awaiting Fonterra's financial results
There's a lot riding on Fonterra's financial results due out on September 22.
Fonterra on the eve of disruption
Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings' challenge 'build windmills not walls' is galvanising the dairy co-operative.
Managing risk key to dairy farming future
The current damaging period of low dairy incomes requires careful management, says Mark Hiddleston.
Fonterra raring to shake supply shackles
COMMENT: Growing competition in NZ dairy market means time is right to adopt growth focus.
Fran O'Sullivan: Fonterra makes the right call
COMMENT: Fonterra has made the right call by accelerating dividend payments instead of extending its dairy farmer shareholders loan package, writes Fran O'Sullivan.
Five key questions for Fonterra
Fonterra will unveil a strong half-year financial result on Wednesday, but this will not mute the criticism that has emerged.
Fran O'Sullivan: Fonterra departee delivers final offering
COMMENT: Next Wednesday will be another major milestone in the NZ dairy industry. Dairy giant Fonterra will unveil its latest results.
Fran O'Sullivan: Questions get even harder for milk giant
It is incomprehensible Fonterra's board could have persistently got it so wrong.
Fran O'Sullivan: Time for serious rethink on dairy
It is time for the industry and the politicians to take off their rose-tinted glasses and do some hard-thinking about our major goods export industry, writes Fran O'Sullivan.
Legal challenge of Lochinver decision
It was a big call for Chinese billionaire Jiang Zhaobai to seek a judicial review of the NZ Government's decision to veto a $88 million bid by one of his companies to buy Lochinver station.
Fran O'Sullivan: TPP needs own investment
Tim Groser has a sales job in front of him after the Trans-Pacific Partnership kept the doors open wide to foreign investment in Auckland's red hot housing market.
Fran O'Sullivan: TPP stepping stone to giant Asia-Pacific deal
FRAN O'SULLIVAN: Geneva has the WTO. Brussels hosts the European Union. Will the Trans-Pacific Partnership put Auckland on the map?
Fran O'Sullivan: TPP deal - Tim Groser puts foie gras on dead rats
OPINION: Trade Minister conceded a few nasty points but his brinksmanship in TPP negotiations allows him to stare down critics, writes Fran O'Sullivan.
Fran O'Sullivan: Equality sets top table of Silver Fern Farm's joint venture
Recapitalised meat processor's two chairmen hen Wei Ping and Rob Hewett will bring different values to Silver Fern Farms.
Fran O'Sullivan: Dairy at risk, China free trade deal updated
China is poised to upgrade its ground-breaking free trade agreement with NZ but becoming in favour of NZ's dairy exporters will be problematic.
Govt scuttles $71m China farm sale
Ministers turn down bid by Chinese billionaire Jiang Zhaobai to buy the Lochinver Station.
Bright Food tipped as Silver Fern bidder
China government backed Bright Food is understood to be the party in talks to take a stake in Silver Fern Farms.
Fran O'Sullivan: Landcorp has better options
Landcorp should be lined up for a partial privatisation to inject new private capital into the company instead of selling off farm assets at the bottom of the dairy cycle, writes Fran O'Sullivan.
Fran O'Sullivan: Interest-free loans softens payout hit
Much of the available loans it will offer will likely pass straight to banks to meet debt-servicing costs, writes Fran O'Sullivan.
Fran O'Sullivan: Fonterra chairman a force at TPP talks
Fonterra chairman John Wilson's verbal sharp-shooting skills were put to good effect at the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) ministerial negotiations in Maui.
Fonterra should look at options
Is Fonterra on the right track? Or is it time for Plan B? Plan B would result in the company being split into a basic commodity player focused on growing the milk price.
Fran O'Sullivan: Kiwis the TPP deal-fixers
Playing the TPP soft cop cannot be allowed to blind Groser and his senior negotiators to NZ's own interests.
TPP's soft cop has hard deals to make
Trade Minister Tim Groser and Deputy US Trade Representative Wendy Cutler got into Hawaii early last weekend to set the scene for a high-powered ministerial meeting to thrash out the bones of the....
Norgate - visionary deal-maker
Fran O'Sullivan reflects on Craig Norgate - a man with much more to him than mere business.
Lochinver purchase stalls
The sale of Lochinver station to Chinese interests spearheaded by Shanghai Pengxin reignited concerns about farm sales to foreigners during the election campaign.