39 Ann Brennan
Ann Brennan is a former senior counsel at Westpac and the Public Trust who is now Chief Legal advisor at the ‘Super Ministry’, the Ministry of Business and Innovation and Employment (MBIE) the super Ministry’s love child of Stephen Joyce and all-powerful provider of major funding disbursements across a variety of key sectors.
Although MBIE retains its super-ministry moniker, Ann Brennan’s ranking has slipped one place from last year only due to the the more benign role the Ministry has had in the past 12 months, along with the elevation of other list entrants.
Ms Brennan’s role has been to assist the new organisation to become a cohesive ‘whole’ and to establish clear relationships with clients and suppliers. Wielding considerable power and influence she was reported as saying “Influencing is the ability to lead others outside your control so they make better decisions affecting you and your work.” Influencing approach when trying to get a team member or CEO to come to your way of thinking is much more effective than attempting to be authoritative, she said.
With a law firm litigation background and leading a team of around 70 in the Ministry her role is one of significant power.
