Penny Burke

Award-Winning Marketing Strategist, Change Facilitator & Author

Penny Burke is an award-winning marketing strategist, facilitator and author of Forced Focus. With 25 years’ experience across Australia and the UK, she brings sharp insight into focus, stakeholder engagement and organisational change. A sought-after speaker known for cutting through complexity and delivering practical, thought-provoking presentations.

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Penny Burke is an award-winning marketing strategist, facilitator and author. She is the strategic mind behind many of Australia’s longest-running and most effective television advertising campaigns, with a career spanning 25 years across Melbourne, Sydney and London.

Prior to founding Essence Communications, Penny spent 12 years at Clemenger BBDO as Strategy Planning Director, where she oversaw strategic development for major national and international communications projects. Her work has covered a broad range of sectors, including packaged goods, retail, services, social marketing and government, giving her a deep understanding of complex stakeholder environments and how to manage them productively.

Penny is the author of Forced Focus – The Essence of Attracting and Retaining the Best People and is widely respected for her ability to combine rigorous marketing theory with practical, real-world insight. She conducts numerous focus groups each year across diverse demographics and is highly attuned to the drivers behind segment behaviour and stereotypes.

In addition to her consulting work, Penny facilitates strategy sessions, workshops and leadership forums for a wide range of organisations. She is known for her ability to bring alignment, clarity and forward momentum to groups with competing perspectives, helping teams reach agreement and develop actionable plans.

Penny holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and has lectured and tutored at RMIT University, Monash University and Swinburne University. She sits on the board of Kennards Hire and is a full member of the Australian Market & Social Research Society (AMSRS).

I have had the good fortune to benefit from Penny's vast experience and skill now for 12 years. Penny's strong strategic mind enables her to effectively tackle the job at hand from both a theoretical and practical perspective. Having worked across many industries Penny is able to draw on a broad range of learnings to bring a fresh perspective to her client’s projects. In addition to her strategic mind, broad industry experience, theoretic knowledge and pragmatism, Penny has unrivalled focus which coupled with effective planning and organisation skills makes her highly efficient. It is this efficiency and focus that makes the difference in the planning, and facilitation of clients strategic workshops. Sancella
There are some speakers who can engage and entertain, but impart few if any useable insights. There are others who can impress with sheer intellect, but send you to sleep just when things should be getting interesting. Penny Burke is one of those presenters whose grasp of marketing and communications is unsurpassed and better yet has the ability to lead an audience on a journey through detail and nuance that leaves them wanting more. A confident and engaging communicator who can make you laugh and think at the same time. Herald and Weekly Times
Brand passion... this is what Penny brings to any meeting or conference, delivered with great insight and experience. Penny's use of case studies combined with an unbelievable depth of knowledge based on many years experience really sets her apart from anyone I have seen. All delivered with passion and enthusiasm, there should be more Penny Burkes! Clemenger BBDO
I have had the pleasure of hearing Penny Burke speak on two occasions. The first time, Penny was part of an Employer Branding panel discussion for an event on Workforce Planning and Development, hosted by the State Services Authority. The panel opened the conference and received high praise (and I'm not just saying that because I organised the panel and its members). As part of the panel, Penny was able to turn the very complex concept of employment branding into an interesting and easily understood idea for the audience. Penny interacted very well with other panel members and was at ease answering questions from the audience. The second time was an Executive meeting at the Department of Human Services. This event was hosted by the Department's Secretary, Fran Thorn and was attended by the department's most senior staff. Penny presented on Employer Branding and had the room captivated with her energy and passion for the subject. Penny was very witty and certainly helped bring the subject to life with her relevant stories and examples. Workforce Planning & Development SSA
Penny was the keynote speaker for our local government tourism conference with the emphasis on 'customer service and living up to expectations' and she certainly delivered a great customer experience: charming, funny and very personable, she nonetheless made sure our audience got the point. Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW
Penny was the final speaker at our conference and was an appropriate finisher. Penny was engaging and entertaining but also had a clear message about 'personal branding' which went over well with attendees. Local Government Association of NSW and Shires Association of NSW