Penny grew up on a hill country sheep and beef farm in North Canterbury, New Zealand. She is now raising her family with her husband on a farm in the area.

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Her career started out in the film industry. With aspirations to become a war correspondent, she became a video journalist for Sky News (based in the Parliamentary Press Gallery) which evolved into a career in strategic communications.

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She set up Social Licence Consulting to inspire and embolden businesses to be better for our people and planet. Her passion? To humanise businesses to a higher level of integrity, guided by empathy, where trust is a prioritised resource.

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Penny has worked and engaged with professionals across the spectrum from agribusinesses, lobbyists, media, farmers, foresters, airport owners, financial professionals, politicians and global social licence practitioners. She has built her unique set of skills to strategise and engage with people for better, more workable outcomes.

 

Prior to her Social Licence career, she worked as a video journalist for Sky News in the parliamentary press gallery and in strategic communications. She is innately aware of the power of perceptions in making or breaking companies and industries.

 

Since then, she has worked with various sectors and organisations conscious of their vulnerability to social licence issues.