Penny George
Pronoun
Director of Corporate Affairs
AstraZeneca
Penny George is an executive leader in public affairs and communications, currently serving as Director of Corporate Affairs at AstraZeneca. Her career spans local government, ministerial advisory roles, and senior positions in the healthcare sector, giving her a unique perspective on the intersection of policy and business.
Elected to local council at 18 years old and later working as a ministerial staffer, Penny has championed policy for families, communities, urban renewal, and women’s issues. Raised in a single-parent household and without exposure to executive role models, she developed a deep sense of drive and resilience, which now fuel her passion for leading with authenticity and a commitment to inclusion.
Penny is recognised for her clarity, authenticity, and ability to foster dialogue and build trust. Living with type 1 diabetes fuels her commitment to empathetic advocacy and accessible leadership, inspiring others to lead with purpose and effect positive change.
SESSIONS
Day 1
3:25
Mini Leadership Labs
Lab A: Resilience in High-Pressure Environments
The rules keep changing. Priorities shift. Teams are stretched thin. Learn how to lead decisively through ambiguity, protect momentum when others are burning out, and stay anchored when the pressure builds.
Jaki Virtue, Chief Operating Officer, Soul Patts
Lab B: Building Authentic Executive Presence and Self-Belief
Develop your leadership confidence by understanding how to back yourself, speak with authority, and position yourself for progression.
Penny George, Director of Corporate Affairs, AstraZeneca
Lab C: Leading Inclusion with Impact
Build the confidence and capability to lead inclusively, challenge bias, and drive a culture of equity—wherever you sit in the organisation.
Ashley McGrath, Chief Executive Officer, CEOs for Gender Equity
Lab D: Leading High-Performing Teams
Unpack what it really takes to build and sustain a team that consistently delivers results. This lab focuses on the behaviours, systems and leadership practices that drive accountability, trust and performance for long-term success – even in the face of conflict, underperformance, or team dysfunction – to support long-term success.
Anne Cavalieros, General Manager, Performance, Reward and People Technology, nbn Australia