“Mr Harvey brings to this role strong business acumen and a good understanding of the primary sector. For more than 20 years, he has made a significant contribution to growth and innovation in the animal health industry.

“Most importantly, he brings an independent voice to the Wool Group which was tasked with finding a leader from outside the strong wool sector.

“This is vital if the group is to continue the work towards a ‘single voice’ for the industry, begun under interim chair Dr Murray Horn,” says Mr Carter.

“I challenged the group to find the right person for the job and they have now delivered. While this will be no easy task, I am confident Mr Harvey has the right skill set to make the progress needed.

“The formation of the Wool Group, which has 18 members, was a key recommendation of the Wool Taskforce I set up last year. I am pleased that under Mr Harvey’s leadership, the group will also pick up the other recommendations as part of its future work programme.

“This is an important step towards getting our strong wool industry back on track and ensuring the viability of sheep farming so it can deliver its true economic potential to New Zealand,” says Mr Carter.