HONOLULU, HI.- The Honolulu Museum of Art has announced the appointment of Penni Hall as chief operating officer. In this integral position on the leadership team, Hall will oversee the museum’s finance, facility, security, technology, human resources, collections and revenue operations, while leading cross-functional teams to achieve institutional goals. She will also conceive and implement plans for improving performance by guiding strategic planning and resource management to ensure the museum can continue to serve and engage with the community.
A native of Australia, Hall joins HoMA from M+, Hong Kong’s prestigious new museum for visual culture designed by Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron, and which recently opened to the public in November 2021.
“Penni’s broad expertise in leading the M+ journey from concept to reality demonstrates her exceptional ability to lead teams, develop synergies and align different parts of a large, high-caliber museum toward a common goal,” said HoMA's CEO and Director Halona Norton-Westbrook. “Penni will have a tremendous positive impact here at the Honolulu Museum of Art, particularly as we move forward with our strategic plan and prepare for our centennial celebration in 2027.”
As part of the senior leadership team at M+ since 2012, Hall’s most recent role was as head, strategic projects and governance, where she developed and executed strategic initiatives to deliver museum-wide objectives and align priorities across the museum in preparation for its grand opening to the public. Prior to that, Hall was M+’s head of administration, playing a substantial role in organizational planning, building development and visitor experience.
A well-rounded leader and strategist in the international arts and culture industry, Hall also served in key positions at the National Theatre in London and the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Hall is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, Australia, and has participated in the highly regarded Advanced Cultural Leadership Programme in Hong Kong (a part of the Clore Leadership Programme) and the Getty Leadership Institute’s Executive Education for Museum Leaders in California.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the HoMA team and am eager to get to know both the people and culture at the museum and the entire community,” Hall said. “HoMA is one of the state’s most valuable resources and a true cultural treasure. I’m greatly looking forward to supporting the team in producing an invaluable experience through outstanding exhibitions, programs and events for the people of Hawai‘i and visitors to the islands.”
Hall will join HoMA as COO on April 19, 2022.
