Unique role will strengthen wool marketing

PGW Wool has created a wool export account manager role to strengthen the link between procurement and export while planning for the future.

Justin Coetzee.

Justin Coetzee from Hawke’s Bay brings more than 25 years of experience across the wool and wider agricultural sector to the job, the company says.

Coetzee sees the new role as an opportunity to bridge two traditionally separate parts of the business.

“It’s about bringing the export side and the brokerage side together,” he explains.

“And having worked extensively in both areas, I can offer a perspective that’s not always common, understanding both sides of the coin.”

He acknowledges that the current market for crossbred wool is challenging.

“But wherever there are challenges, there are opportunities,” he says.

“Wool has changed, and while some farming practices will always be relevant, the industry is at a tipping point. It’s ready for change.

“Coming in as someone who hasn’t grown up in the New Zealand wool industry gives me a slightly different perspective, so hopefully I can look at things with fresh eyes.”

After completing a three-year agricultural diploma in South Africa, Coetzee joined a wool brokerage firm and quickly built a reputation for his dedication to growers and results.

Over 12 years, he rose from a regional representative to area manager, leading teams of reps and even earning ‘Representative of the Year’ along the way.

Coetzee was later approached to head the Mohair Growers Association, where he spent five years implementing new programmes to strengthen that industry.

From there, he moved into wool exporting, including five years specialising in carbonised wool, before managing greasy wool exports for a further three years.

“I’ve been fortunate to see the industry from multiple angles,” Justin says.

“From working directly with growers at the farm gate to marketing wool internationally, you get to understand both the opportunities and the challenges on each side.”

Three years ago, he, his wife and their daughter made the move from South Africa to Napier.

“We were very happy at home, but we wanted an adventure and an opportunity to experience something different,” Coetzee recalls.

“NZ is such an appealing place for anyone who loves agriculture, so it felt like the right move for us as a family.”

Initially, he took a break from wool and worked in the FMCG sector.

Yet the pull of the fibre industry remained strong.

“I’d done business with PGW as an exporter back in South Africa,” he says.

“So when the chance came to talk with them about this new role, it felt like a natural fit.”

Now settled in the Hawke’s Bay, the family has bought a home and welcomed visits from relatives back in South Africa,

Coetzee says the region’s people are a highlight.

“I’m not a city person. I grew up in a city but I prefer smaller communities where you meet real people. Hawke’s Bay is perfect for that.”

Palle Petersen, general manager of Bloch & Behrens, the international export arm of PGG Wrightson Wool, says Coetzee’s appointment reflects PGW’s focus on succession planning and ensuring the company continues to deliver for growers.

“This is about backing our people with the right mix of skills and experience.

“Justin’s background makes him well placed to support our procurement programmes and strengthen our export relationships.”

For Coetzee, the heart of the role, and of the wool industry itself, remains the people.

“Life is about people. That’s what counts,” he says.

“I’ve always enjoyed building long-term relationships in agriculture, as I feel it’s where the real impact happens.”

As he begins his new position, he’s excited to combine his knowledge of brokerage and export to help growers navigate the evolving wool landscape.

“This role is a chance to add value at both ends, to support growers locally while making sure their wool reaches the best possible markets globally.”