The appointment follows the successful capitalisation of Wools of NZ completed in March and is in line with the company's strategy of putting the necessary people and processes in place to effectively run a 100% grower-owned sales and marketing company.
Mark Shadbolt, chairman of Wools of New Zealand, says after a rigorous selection process spanning several months the board was delighted that Townshend, a Waikato sheep farmer and a shareholder of Wools of New Zealand, had accepted the role.
"In addition to his strong agribusiness sector credentials, Ross brings on board a global business perspective across the primary sector - from procurement and operations to supply chain and international marketing - honed through more than 10 years of senior operational roles with Rank Group companies' Goodman Fielder, Bluebird Foods, Evergreen Packaging, Carter Holt Harvey and New Zealand Dairy Foods."
Townshend, who has a Bachelor of Technology from Massey University and an Advanced Management Programme (AMP) from Harvard Business School, is a director of Tatua Cooperative Dairy Company Ltd.
"The board of Wools of New Zealand has done a great job of raising capital and securing grower commitment. I look forward to the challenge of restoring wool to a profitable enterprise that it once was and we all need it to be again," Townshend said.
Townshend will take up the role on August 1, though he though he will be involved in planning sessions with key management and the board over the coming weeks.
