Eric Phu

Co-founder, Citizen Wolf

Sydney

Eric knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up: a lawyer. Two weeks of work experience in a law firm completely cured him of that.

Instead, Eric pursued a degree in Marketing and Management, then landed a website management role with one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies just as the early internet was booming. When the online bubble burst, Eric migrated to Adland and spent 10 years managing digital agencies in Australia and China, with global brands such as Sony, IBM, Philips, Jaguar, Volvo, McDonald’s, P&G and Unilever.

Feeling that there was more to life than encouraging mass consumption, Eric left the corporate world to start a private consultancy focused on interesting projects that made a global difference for the better. Like working with WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society on how social media can be harnessed to reduce demand for products made from endangered species.

Returning to Sydney, Eric and co-founder Zoltan were discussing the trials and tribulations of the fashion industry. Naively asking why things were done in certain ways, it became increasingly clear that there had to be better ways of making and selling clothing with better outcomes for customers, workers and the environment. Two years later, Citizen Wolf is the result.

Eric has also been on the Global Steering Committee for Education and Communication at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.