Curriculum Vitae
Work Experience
Dec 2024 - Present
Director
Robyn Holdaway Consulting
My first project as an independent consultant was to deliver a strategy integrating political, policy, regulatory and commercial dynamics gaining board approval. This included public policy engagement advice to better enable electrification, drawing on the government’s policy and regulatory agenda and the client’s objectives.
Oct 2023 - Dec 2024
Senior Associate
Sherson Willis
In this role I led accounts with innovative global companies, including to inform key legislative changes through engagement with Ministers and policy officials. This role included navigating domestic and international policy frameworks, and, providing analysis and advice on complex political landscapes.
March 2020 - Oct 2023
Group Manager - Public Policy
Vector Limited
In this role I led the development and execution of Vector’s public policy strategy to support Vector’s strategic objectives and role in enabling New Zealand’s legislated emissions reduction targets. This included working closely with legal, engineering, sustainability, regulatory, data and planning colleagues to inform the development and implementation of key policy work-streams related to climate change, Resource Management Act reform, as well as digitalisation for affordable electrification.
Oct 2021 - Jan 2022
Acting Group Manager - Market Regulation
Vector Limited
In this role I managed a team of five to inform and implement market regulations, alongside my full time role as Group Manager – Public Policy. This built my understanding of compliance frameworks and regulatory electricity market design – including the opportunity to unlock the value of the demand-side for market efficiency and decarbonisation.
Dec 2018 - March 2020
Senior Policy Advisor
Vector Limited
This role included a focus on the Electricity Price Review and the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019.
March 2018 - Dec 2018
Advisor to the Regional Commissioner
Ministry of Social Development
In this role I supported the strategic approach of the Ministry of Social Development Auckland Regional Office and influenced national policy decisions. This involved analysing macro and micro economic trends and service-delivery operations, and engaging with stakeholders across the service-delivery value chain.
Aug 2016 - March 2018
Associate - Policy
Allen + Clarke Policy and Regulatory Specialists
In this role I undertook projects across the policy and regulatory cycle, in a range of policy domains, and for government and non-government clients. This role developed my machinery of government expertise and transferable analytical skills.
March 2015 - Aug 2016
Policy Analyst - Innovation Policy
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
This role had a focus on the interface between industry and Government to understand and support business innovation for economic growth and diversification. In this role I advised the Minister of Science and Innovation on the structure of business R&D grants, provided policy support for the Innovation Partnerships work-stream and coordinated the Innovation chapter of the Business Growth Agenda. This included a focus on managing cross-government relationships and identifying strategic challenges and opportunities across a complex work programme.
March 2014 - Dec 2014
Tutor - Political Science and International Relations
Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington
In this role I planned and delivered tutorials, marked essays and provided pastoral care as required to more than 50 students of International Relations and Comparative Politics.
Speaking engagements
Resource Management Law Conference
New Plymouth
This 30 minute presentation to ~200 resource management lawyers and expert practitioners focused on collaborative policy decision-making and design to achieve sustainable policy frameworks. This conference was convened by the Resource Management Law Association.
September 2024
26th World Energy Congress
Rotterdam
I spoke on a panel on energy governance alongside experts from around the world with a focus on how governments learn to cooperate across borders to achieve our global energy transition. The congress was convened by the World Energy Council.
April 2024
Courses
2024
Oxford Executive Leadership Programme
Oxford Saïd Business School
The online course included analysis of leading literature on leadership and case studies with a focus on application to lived work experience. It focused on strategies for leading change, motivating teams, influencing internal and external stakeholders and overcoming biases. This included the Oxford Saïd ‘power of doubt’ framework and S3 model of change.
2022
Strategic Speaking
Naked Audience
This course included content on confidence, structure and delivery for strategic public speaking and presentations with coaching and the delivery of an audience presentation.
2021
Managers' Warrant of Fitness
Journey-Smiths Ltd
This course included content on managing teams with a focus on relationship building and communication. This involved engaging with content on effective people management, coaching and peer learning whilst managing a team.
2015
Micro-economics for Policy Analysis
Government Economics Network
This course had a focus on the nature of markets, the economic role of governments and the role of economics in policy analysis.
International policy organisations
2023 - present
World Energy Council
Future Energy Leader
The World Energy Council (WEC) is the oldest independent and impartial energy community, with government and industry members from over 100 countries. The Future Energy Leaders (FELs) is the WEC network of ~100 young energy professionals from across the world. As a FEL I have supported the Asia Pacific (APAC) FELs contribution to the WEC Visionario project including a systematic comparison of energy scenario analyses and providing analysis of New Zealand’s current energy system (including commercial, technological and policy/regulatory domains) against energy transition targets.
2020 - 2023
World Economic Forum
Global Shapers - Alumnus
The Global Shapers is a World Economic Forum (WEF) network of leaders across the world whose purpose is to advance local impact projects and provide insight to the WEF. In this role I led a project to drive future-ready skills in New Zealand to address skills shortages related to digitalisation, decarbonisation and infrastructure.
2017 - 2018
United Nations Association of New Zealand Executive
Communications and Engagement Officer
As an official arm of the United Nations (UN) the purpose of the United Nations Associations is to strengthen the relationship between member nations and the UN governing institutions, including to promote UN objectives with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this role I provided communications and public engagement advice to the United Nations Association of New Zealand.
2014
Australasian Study of Parliament Group
Executive member