Our Team
We are a team of internationalists which we believe is important in today’s globally connected marketplace.
Our people form a team of highly experienced and tenacious thinkers and doers, who understand the world of corporates, brands and influencers.
We’re storytellers, newshounds, occasional bloggers, campaign strategists, PR experts, ex journalists, former in-house communications specialists, parents, travellers, ‘foodies’ and more.
Karen Peterson
Founder and Director
Passionate about creating meaningful PR and marketing communications, Karen has spent more than 23 years creating award-winning communications campaigns for some of the world’s most recognised brands. She has been fortunate to work at some of the UK and Asia Pacific’s leading PR and marketing communications firms across a diverse range of geographies including the UK, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
Entrepreneurial at heart, she returned to New Zealand in 2009, mid GFC, and took the plunge into self-employment, establishing an independent PR consulting business.
Through word of mouth referrals, she hit the ground running, securing her first client, a global video technology vendor. A key strategic partnership that spanned nine years and from the initial New Zealand focused brief, grew to encompass Australia and Asia Pacific.
She works closely with clients to solve their communications problems. Irrespective of the issue, she applies market insights, strategic thinking, and a sprinkle of ‘pixie dust’ to deliver the desired result. She is also an experienced media and communications coach having successfully trained hundreds of c-suite and marketing executives.
Before establishing KPComms, Karen spent eight years with Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific where she was Asia Pacific Director of Client Service for Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, based in Hong Kong. Prior to this she was Managing Director of Ogilvy PR Indonesia. She spent the best part of the nineties working in London for some of the UK’s leading PR firms including The Red Consultancy and Weber Shandwick.
Industry awards include PRCA and PR Week UK & PR Week Asia Pacific in the fields of consumer marketing, sponsorship, healthcare, social marketing and technology.
Jo Jalfon
Communications Manager
Jo is a former journalist and hospitality industry magazine editor with more than 25 years corporate and consumer brand and engagement communications experience. She is passionate about supporting businesses and brands grow through engaging and authentic communication.
Jo has worked for public relations and media businesses in the UK, New Zealand and Australia and more recently has headed up communication teams for well-known New Zealand companies including DB Breweries, T&G Global, BMW, Spark, Tourism New Zealand and Foodstuffs.
She’s also held senior brand and marketing roles for Suncorp and TVNZ.
Get in touch. We’d love to hear your story.
