Not many people can say they co-founded an organisation created to advance and empower women in industry and can reverse park an 8,500-tonne warship, but Penelope Twemlow can.
She can now add keynote speaker for the 2025 Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards to that list.
At this year’s awards we are celebrating our growing veteran employment community.
Penelope Twemlow will provide a keynote address about the critical importance employment plays in a successful transition and in the building of a strong community.
As a veteran herself, serving as a Maritime Warfare Officer, Naval Police Investigator and Military Executive in the Royal Australian Navy, Penelope understands what it is like to make the move to civilian employment. Since leaving the ADF, she has carved out an extraordinary career as a multi-award-winning CEO, businesswoman, mentor, and changemaker - an excellent demonstration of the value veterans can bring to the civilian workforce.
Penelope is currently the Chief Operations Officer and Principal Consultant of Phinteq – a national consultancy providing technical advisory and specialist engineering services in the areas of capability development, assurance and safety and risk management. She is also the Founder and Chair of Women in Power whose mission is to promote and improve the advancement of women in all industries, particularly the energy sectors.
Her impact has been recognised through various accolades including being named winner of the Queensland Telstra Business Women's Award for Social Enterprise and Not-For-Profit, winner of Women in Defence Awards for the People and Culture category and winner of three separate categories in the national Women in Industry Awards. She has also been named APAC CEO of the Year, winner of Canberra’s ‘Women of Spirit’ Award and was a finalist in the Women in Business Awards, the National Association of Women in Construction Awards, the Australian Institute of Management Leadership Awards and the Lord Mayors Business Awards.
Penelope is a strong advocate for raising awareness and promoting support to individuals affected by domestic violence, mental health and homelessness. She is an avid supporter of organisations and initiatives providing assistance to the veteran community.
“The collective impact of veterans across workplaces, communities, and industries is a quiet revolution shaping Australia’s future. Every handshake, every conversation, every opportunity we share expands the reach of our veteran community. Our story isn’t just what we have done - it’s what we continue to do, together, to make a lasting impact. Together, we turn service into opportunity, experience into leadership, and connection into a movement.”
We are looking forward to hearing from Penelope at the 2025 Awards.