Penny Hughes is one the UK’s outstanding business leaders. She graduated from Sheffield University and joined Procter & Gamble, first as a technologist, then in the sales and marketing department. She was then recruited to the Milk Marketing Board, and then joined Coca-Cola as a Brand Manager. By 1989, having... Read more
Penny Hughes is one the UK’s outstanding business leaders. She graduated from Sheffield University and joined Procter & Gamble, first as a technologist, then in the sales and marketing department. She was then recruited to the Milk Marketing Board, and then joined Coca-Cola as a Brand Manager. By 1989, having successfully overseen the merger of Coca-Cola UK and Schweppes, she was appointed Commercial Director, aged 29.
In 1993, at the age of 33 she became President of Coca-Cola UK and Ireland.
In 1995 Penny Hughes left Coca-Cola to develop her portfolio of interests. Penny has held a number of important non-executive director positions including The Body Shop plc, Vodafone plc, Enodis (formerly Berisford plc) and Trinity Mirror plc. In December 2009 she was appointed non-executive Director of Morrison’s, the UK grocery chain. She is currently a Director of Reuters plc, Home Retail Group plc, SEB (banking) in Sweden and Gap Inc USA. Penny is also adviser to Bridgepoint Venture Capital and President of the UK Advertising Association.
In the book Roads To The Top, 18 outstanding leaders of British companies, including Sir John Harvey Jones, Sir Graham Day, Archie Norman and Gerry Robinson were profiled, in order to examine the personal qualities and management skills which brought them to their eminent positions. Penny Hughes was one of the individuals profiled, and her career was summarised thus: “In her mid-thirties, Penny Hughes as President of Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland occupies a role that has never before been filled by a woman, a “Brit” or anyone under forty. Her position as a young woman is almost as unique in British industry as it is in Coca-Cola”. She was also described thus: “Extremely self-confident, with an excellent strategic and analytical brain, informal style and strong interpersonal skills, Penny Hughes is natural, irrepressibly positive and impressively well-balanced”.
This breadth of experience allows Penny Hughes to share her thoughts on building long term profitable growth, drawing on examples across many sectors and many different kinds of businesses, large and small, both international or local.
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You can book Penny Hughes through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Penny's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Penny Hughes's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Penny tailored to your event.
Penny Hughes speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Penny to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Penny Hughes for events worldwide, subject to Penny's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Penny Hughes is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Penny can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Penny Hughes on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Penny can offer.
Penny Hughes delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Penny Hughes's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Penny's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Penny Hughes can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of Penny's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Penny Hughes is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Penny Hughes, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Penny's current availability for your dates.