Leading independent trans-Tasman consultancy, SenateSHJ is delighted to announce the appointments of Maree Wilson to Managing Partner of the New Zealand business and Darren Behar to Group Chief Growth Officer, as well as several key appointments on both sides of the Tasman to further strengthen its client offering.
Maree Wilson, Managing Partner, Auckland
Maree Wilson steps into the New Zealand Managing Partner role, having joined SenateSHJ in 2020. She heads up the firm’s Corporate Practice, which has grown substantially under her leadership.
She is an internationally recognised communicator with extensive corporate, issues management and leadership experience gained at home and abroad. Maree has deep experience in the primary sector, food, manufacturing, aged care, finance and aviation industries.
Darren Behar, Group Chief Growth Officer, Australia and New Zealand
Darren has been Managing Partner of SenateSHJ Australia for the past 9 years. In addition to this role, he takes on the newly created Group Chief Growth Officer role to support the firm’s trajectory and expansion of its client service offering.
Darren's experience extends across a broad range of areas including strategic communication, stakeholder engagement and media relations, reputation management, social impact, sustainability, marketing, brand, positioning, strategy and change.
Jen Nolan, Partner, Wellington
Working from SenateSHJ’s Wellington office, Jen will lead client projects in SenateSHJ’s corporate and public sector practices and brings more than 20 years of strategic communications experience to SenateSHJ.
Prior to joining SenateSHJ, Jen was the External Relations Director for the NZ Aluminium Smelter for nine years and has held several roles for large government agencies. She is a former broadcast journalist and producer.
New additions to trans-Tasman consulting team
In New Zealand, SenateSHJ is also pleased to welcome Liam Hansen as a Client Manager in our Wellington office, who will be providing strategic communication advice to clients with a specific focus on government relations. Prior to joining SenateSHJ, Liam worked for a boutique management consulting firm specialising in organisational change, where he assisted a broad range of public and private sector clients.
In Australia, Dylan Williams joins our Sydney office as a Senior Client Manager while Charisma de Jesus joins as Senior Client Manager – Insights in Melbourne.
Dylan brings eight years of experience across the political and social impact sectors, most recently from a creative communication agency where he developed purpose-driven campaigns.
Charisma has more than two decades of experience in market research working across diverse industries including fast-moving consumer goods, utilities, social, and telecommunications among others.
Amanda Chong has also joined the team as an Office Administrator in our Auckland office.