Northpower's general manager of business support Barbara Harrison heads off this week on a Prime Ministerial Scholarship to study at the University of Pennsylvania.
She is responsible for the corporate services functions provided to Northpower's national and international activity, contributes to the development and execution of its businesses strategy and is involved in a number of industry bodies in New Zealand.
Ms Harrison will spend the next five weeks at the Wharton Business School Advanced Management Programme (AMP) - described by some as an MBA in five weeks.
The programme is based on real-time business dynamics, economic challenges and opportunities, global trends, market shifts and thought leadership.
"I am looking forward to fine-tuning my leadership style and developing my strategic business skills," Ms Harrison said.
"Wharton Business School is one of the largest and most distinguished business school alumni organisations in the world so it will be immensely challenging.
"I look forward to bringing the learnings back to Northpower. We are in an immense period of growth with the completion of our ultra-fast broadband network in Whangarei, our expansion into electric vehicles, a strong financial performance in Australia and the continued growth of our New Zealand Contracting business, not to mention the focus we place on innovation and safety."
On completing the AMP, participants become Wharton alumni, which has more than 92,000 members in more than 130 nations. When Ms Harrison was named as one of 10 scholarship winners last year, Prime Minister John Key said such opportunities will have positive flow-on effects for our businesses.