SenateSHJ appoints NZ managing partner and Auckland GM

Leading Australasian communications consultancy SenateSHJ has appointed Raphael Hilbron as managing partner of its New Zealand business and Hugo Shanahan as general manager of its Auckland office.
“Raphael’s appointment recognises his leadership of the Wellington office and contribution to the New Zealand business over the past decade,” Chief Executive Neil Green says.

“Raphael has proven himself in a number of senior management roles, both in New Zealand and overseas. Before joining SenateSHJ in 2008, he was head of corporate responsibility at Vodafone New Zealand and was seconded to Vodafone’s global business in the UK for two years.”

A former journalist, Raphael also worked for The Dominion newspaper and in public sector roles before moving into the Beehive as a press secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The firm has also promoted Hugo Shanahan to the role of general manager, Auckland, replacing Julien Leys who will take up the role as Chief Executive of the Building Industry Federation in March.

Hugo leads SenateSHJ’s financial and corporate communication practices in Auckland. He has almost 20 years of consultancy and inhouse experience and has led communication and stakeholder relations on a number of significant projects, including the grounding of the MV Rena on the Astrolabe Reef, near Tauranga.

Both Raphael and Hugo have made significant contributions to SenateSHJ and have demonstrated managerial, client service and new business skills and capability.

SenateSHJ is ranked in the top 250 public relations companies in the 2018 Holmes Report international ranking table and is known for its strategic communications advice and problem solving. The company advises boards and executive leadership teams on reputation management and is a leader in behaviour change and change communications.

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