Auckland-based sailor Harri Wren joined Doyle Sails International in April 2022 as the Impact and Experience Manager before progressing into the role of Brand & Operations Manager in late 2022. The newly created role was created to enhance and develop the Doyle brand through customer experience and all the company’s sustainability-focused aspects.
Harri, born and bred in Auckland, New Zealand, started sailing Optimists as a child. Her family is water-orientated but often more likely to enjoy the water onboard their family launch rather than yachts. Harri spent more time coaching than she sailed during her school sailing years, but she was always on the water. In her final year at school, Harri joined the prestigious Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s Youth Training Programme for a season, allowing her to find her niche in the Auckland Keelboat racing scene.
Photo credit : Suellen / Live Sail Die
Harri graduated with a Bachelor of Design, majoring in Graphic Design, from Auckland University of Technology in 2020 and moved straight into a role with the RNZYS. Using the Design degree to her advantage, Harri was responsible for in-house design work and collateral, particularly for Auckland’s 2021 America’s Cup defence. During this time, Doyle Sails was a major partner of the yacht club, where Harri got to know the Doyle Sails team well. Post cup, Harri was looking for her next challenge within the marine sector when a timely proposition was received from Doyle Sails, merging her love for sailing into a position that utilised her creativity.
Harri is part of the DSI team that operates from the Doyle Sails Head Office, with her role continuing to focus on all branding activations for our global customers, assisting with on-the-ground activations at events around the world and digital content creation. Harri commented, “My creative background has supported me in my branding role; the creative process through customer experience is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.” Highlights of the role include curating the custom Doyle Sails Experience Box, a practical gift with purchase for all Grand Prix sails that consists of all the essential tools for sail fitting and adjustment. The Experience Boxes have earned Harri a finalist spot in the Best Awards—New Zealand’s Annual Excellence in Design Awards.
The other facet of her role is to support the Chief Commercial Officer, assisting with the administrative aspects of operations and helping the network of Doyle Sails lofts with their day-to-day operations, merchandise and branding requirements. Wren also leads the Doyle Sails Sustainability initiatives. In 2024, the company were happy to achieve Toitu Enviromark Gold recognition – a globally recognised ISO standard for sustainability systems in the manufacturing process of the flagship Stratis membrane. Alongside this, Doyle Sails has been audited under the IMOCA Green Sail rule and successfully cemented our position as industry-leading in sustainability across our day-to-day operations.
Harri is a very active member of the Auckland keelboat racing scene and on the Shorthanded Sailing Association (SSANZ) committee. Currently, Wren is a pivotal member of the Doyle-powered Zephyrus sailing team, where she was the bowman for three years before progressing to a navigation/tactical role.
Wren races on Auckland’s well-attended shorthanded circuit with partner Peron on their Ross 930, Start Me Up, the most recent adventure being racing the Round North Island in 2023, no easy feat for one of the smallest yachts in the fleet—the experience providing some valuable knowledge which will take Harri’s offshore sailing career even further.
Harri continued, “Having such an interest in sailing and using the ocean as our playground enforces what I do in the sustainability and brand sector at DSI. The Doyle Sails ethos of ‘by sailors, for sailors’ includes our sailmakers, our leadership team, and roles like mine, which I’m very proud to be part of. To be passionate about my work, create and achieve projects that I would like to see as a sailor is very rewarding. The additional learnings in the few years from a technical side have benefited my sailing and furthered my interest in the sailmaking side. I’m hoping to help learn to build the sails for my boat in the coming months and expand my knowledge there.”
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // Doyle Sails strives to deliver success through high-performance, high-quality, custom sails that continue to redefine the boundaries of sailmaking technology and innovation whilst connecting sailors to inspire, support and encourage sailing.
Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those with the same passion. Sailing is in our DNA, and we are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for four decades and counting.
By sailors, for sailors.