Lead by Industry, Managed by Industry, for the Benefit of Industry
In December 1993 the Australian Parliament passed legislation requiring the then statutory wool marketing authority - the Australian Wool Corporation - to divest itself of the responsibility of administering wool marketing arrangements in the Australian Wool Industry.
In response, commercial interests representing the wool buyers and sellers in Australia established the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) as a public company limited by guarantee to manage and administer wool marketing arrangements in the Australian wool industry. The Australian Wool Exchange commenced operations in February 1994.
AWEX is a member-owned, not-for-profit entity governed by member elected Directors. The organisation is funded by a combination of wool pack and wool classer registration fees, revenue from AWEX services, and membership fees.
Today, the Australian wool industry, through AWEX, manages it's own affairs in a self-regulated marketing environment. The membership of AWEX represents the majority of first-hand wool traded in Australia each year and includes wool brokers, exporters, private treaty merchants, processor, wool producers and associates. The AWEX Board represents each of these classes of membership and is responsible for strategy and policy setting in relation to the implementation of functions. This model ensures that decisions are guided by industry needs, long-term viability, and the shared prosperity of Australia’s wool sector.
A Message from Our CEO Charles McElhone
AWEX continues to focus on digitising the wool supply chain, embedding digital traceability tools, and delivering valued quality and integrity services. In response to evolving customer and regulatory needs, AWEX is also delivering a credible, fit-for-purpose sustainability certification through the Australian Wool Sustainability Scheme that efficiently integrates with industry systems to save industry time and money. A collaborative approach to embedding these outcomes will be critical to their success and to maximise the benefits realised by all.
Mission and Values
Delivering services that strengthen, inform, and increase confidence in, the quality and integrity of Australian wool.
The objects for which AWEX is established are to:
Provide an internationally competitive system for the fair, efficient and informed trading of Australian wool
Encourage competition
Facilitate self regulation amongst market participants
Develop and implement innovations
AWEX Board
AWEX is governed by a skilled elected Board drawn from across industry sectors.
Andreas Clark
Board Chair
Peter King
Director - Exporters
Martin Moses
Director - Broker (Small)
Geoffrey Beath OAM
Director – Private Treaty Merchants
Jonathon White
Director – Broker (Large)
Simon Riddle
Director - Growers
Andrew Luxton
Director - Processors
Alternate Board Members
Josh Lamb
Alternate Director for Peter King
Alistair Calvert
Alternate Director for Martin Moses
John Sugars
Alternate Director for Geoffrey Beath
John Colley
Alternate Director for Jonathon White
David Young
Alternate Director for Simon Riddle
David Michell
Alternate Director for Andrew Luxton
Meet the Team
The AWEX Leadership Team is responsible for delivering the organisation's strategy, programs, and services that support the integrity, efficiency and trust in Australian wool.
Our leaders bring together deep experience across the wool supply chain, sustainability, traceability, operations, market services, and member engagement. They work closely with the AWEX Board, members, and stakeholders to ensure AWEX continues to deliver trusted, industry-good services for the benefit of the wool industry.
Charles McElhone
Chief Executive Officer
Provides strategic leadership, drives organisational direction and represents AWEX across industry and government.
Tony Checchia
chief financial officer &
Company secretary
Responsible for finance, governance, risk and compliance, corporate services, and delivery of AWEX Support Services.
Nigel Stewart
General Manager
Information Technology
Drives AWEX’s digital platform development and systems integration that supports the modernisation of the wool supply chain.
David Cother
general manager
wool operations
Oversees the integrity and efficiency of Australia’s wool auction system, including the Annual Wool Selling Program, NASC as well as WoolClip, Wool Classing and the AWEX-ID program.
Katyana Armen
general manager
brand & integrity
Leads AWEX sustainability, traceability and integrity programs including the AWSS, the NWD-IP, and eBale, as well as AWEX communications.