Senior Team

The Hill & Knowlton team is unmatched in experience and insights and comprises the best communications professionals in Australia and from around the world. Together, the team has extensive experience across a broad spectrum of communications areas and disciplines, and a proven track record in developing and delivering campaigns that help companies achieve their bottom-line business goals. At Hill & Knowlton we have a 'best teams' approach, bringing together specialists - by discipline and industry - with the best insights, skills and contacts to tackle every aspect of a client's assignment.

  • Sue Cook, Managing Director & Regional Director APAC Health

    With more than twenty years experience of counselling clients in Australia and across Asia Pacific, Sue has expertise in healthcare communications, biotechnology, food and nutrition, corporate communications and crisis and issues management. As part of her role she regularly collaborates and consults with our colleagues in the Hill & Knowlton regional and global network to achieve maximum impact for our clients.

  • Penelope Holloway, Director, Consumer & Lifestyle

    Penelope has ten years consumer experience and recently joined Hill & Knowlton having returned home from New York where she headed up the consumer division of a boutique PR agency. As the director of consumer lifestyle at Hill & Knowlton, Penelope works across accounts such as Tourism New Zealand, Giant Rugby Ball, Positive Tourism Wellington and Coca-Cola.

  • Ben Shipley, Creative Director

    Ben works across the range of Hill & Knowlton clients, developing ideas and championing innovation and creativity across the agency. Ben has ten years' agency experience with expertise in creative facilitation and development, experiential marketing, brand strategy and development in New Zealand, Australia, China and the wider Asia region. Ben has worked with clients from a wide range of industries including food & beverage, travel, sport , finance and technology.

  • Tim McPhail, Director, Public Affairs

    Tim has 12 years experience in senior government roles and consulting. Most recently he headed the Sydney office of a national public affairs consultancy. Tim spent five years as a senior policy adviser to the Carr Government in NSW in the portfolio areas of Roads, Transport, Ports, Housing, Energy, Utilities and Police. Specialising in public private partnerships and government procurement, Tim assists private sector clients in sectors including Defence, Transport, Healthcare and Services, in their engagement with State and Federal governments.

  • Scott Farlow, Associate Director, Public Affairs

    Scott is a public affairs specialist with a background in politics as well as the private sector as a strategic consultant in the finance sector. In politics, Scott has been a senior adviser to Federal and State MPs, including the former Leader of the NSW Opposition and State Shadow Ministers. In these roles, Scott worked across the Transport, Justice and Attorney-General portfolios. Scott is the President of the NSW Young Liberal movement and sits on the State Executive of the NSW Liberal Party. He has an intimate understanding of Local Government and planning, having served on Strathfield Council as a Councillor and as Mayor.

  • Vera Huntink, Director Passport Marketing

    Vera joined Passport Marketing in May 2011 and has over 10 years experience in tourism and travel marketing and PR spanning Australia, the UK and the Netherlands. In her role as Director at Passport Marketing Vera overseas all client’s activities and acts as Country Manager for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. She has an outstanding network within the travel industry and is regarded very highly by her industry peers.

  • Dana O'Neill, Associate Director, Technology

    Dana O'Neill is the Associate Director of the Hill & Knowlton's Technology Practice. Previously with Hill & Knowlton San Francisco, Dana brings 9+ years of combined in-house and agency experience to bear for clients managing cross-disciplinary corporate, marketing and product teams.

  • Fergus Kibble, General Manager

    Fergus has over twenty years experience in strategic marketing, brand consulting, communications and PR planning and execution, digital marketing and social media. Fergus's commercial experience comes from a career in consumer and corporate marketing, communications and business management across a number of dynamic industries including: packaged goods (personal care and food), alcohol, Internet and retail.

  • Catriona Booth, Strategic Counsel, Corporate & Financial services

    Catriona has extensive experience in corporate communications in both the UK and Australia. Her expertise is in advising board members and senior management of listed entities on a number of corporate communication issues and M&A transactions.

  • Melissa Chlad, Director, Health

    Melissa brings more than 15 years experience in PR implementation to her role as Director of the Australian Health practice, with 12 years specialising in healthcare communications. Melissa has provided hands-on support and strategic lead for global and domestic launches for pharmaceutical products and medical devices, and offered senior counsel for disease awareness campaigns and patient advocacy programs. Her therapeutic experience spans women's health, vaccines, metabolic diseases, cardiovascular disease, oncology, wound therapeutics, ostomy, mental health, pain management and consumer health.

  • Derryn Webster, Senior Associate Director, Public Affairs

    Derryn’s background is in policy development and media relations. Having worked within Government, Derryn is well placed to provide clients with strategic advice about government policy and engagement. His knowledge of the political landscape and emerging issues helps clients achieve their objectives.

  • Nadia-Habib-Coelho , Associate Director, Analyst Relations

    Nadia is the Associate Director for Analyst Relations at Hill and Knowlton (H&K) Australia. She joined the company in November 2007. She is responsible for overseeing the growth and development of H&K’s analyst offering in Australia and other Asia Pacific countries. Her key focus areas are handling the development, research, briefing and messaging criteria for clients who embark on analyst programs.

  • Dawn Barnable, Media & PR Manager

    Dawn Barnable has over 9 years professional communications experience that spans Canada, Japan and Australia. Throughout her career, Dawn cemented her reputation as a gifted relationship builder and publicity powerhouse through garnering best in class results on behalf of a number of clients.