1998
Penny began her career in aerospace and defence with Northrop Grumman, supporting marketing and communications for the company’s European operations.
2003
Penny joined the Society of British Aerospace Companies and Farnborough International, supporting UK defence and aerospace exports and launching the first international space pavilion at the Farnborough International Airshow in partnership with the Space Foundation, European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and industry partners.
2006
Penny joined Leonardo, one of the world’s leading defence companies, where she helped develop and deliver global marketing and communications strategy, identifying and executing campaigns to support international business development and reputation management..
2021
Penny joined World Defense Show to curate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s inaugural International Women in Defence programme on behalf of Her Royal Highness Ambassador Reema bint Bandar Al Saud.
2022
Penny joined CAE, the world’s largest civil and military training organisation, supporting the unified “One CAE” brand strategy and leading international campaigns to strengthen the company’s global brand presence.
Following the success of International Women in Defence, Penny re-joined World Defense Show to curate the full content programme for the 2024 edition, shaping themes around leadership, technology, innovation and diversity while strengthening collaboration across Saudi Arabia’s defence, industrial and academic ecosystem.
2024
Penny joined Defence Leaders, a global platform connecting government, military, NATO and industry leaders across all defence domains. She led strategic content development and community initiatives, expanding international partnerships and strengthening global engagement.
2025
Penny served as Project Director for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources on the Global Industry Summit 2025 and the 21st UNIDO General Conference.
She led content strategy and programme design for flagship initiatives focused on industrial partnerships, women’s empowerment and youth innovation, aligning with Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
2026
2026 – Present
Penny works across both the defence and commodities sectors through senior consultancy roles:
Consultant – Clarion Events (Defence & Security Portfolio)
Advising on the development of international defence, aerospace and security platforms, supporting strategic content development, government engagement and industry collaboration.
Project & Content Director – Beacon Events (Commodities)
Supporting international platforms focused on critical materials, supply chains and industrial resilience, including the development of a global leadership platform for commodities connecting mining companies, investors, governments and downstream industries.
Through this work Penny is also developing From Mine to Mission, an initiative designed to strengthen dialogue between the mining, materials and defence sectors as the strategic importance of critical minerals continues to grow.
