The Sky’s the Limit: How Sky NZ CEO Sophie Moloney turned legal skills into a leadership career.

Sophie Moloney’s career is an inspiring example of where a legal career can take you. Recently awarded Chief Executive of the Year at the Deloitte Top 200 Awards, Sophie has been recognised for her exceptional leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment to Sky and its people. She began as a solicitor in New Zealand before moving to the UK, spending her early years in private practice and then stepping into an in-house role at Sky UK. That move marked the start of a global career in the media industry that took her to Sky Arabia in Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Media and OSN, before returning to New Zealand to join Sky NZ as General Counsel. She later became Chief Legal Officer, then Chief Commercial Officer, and for the past five years has served as the Chief Executive of Sky NZ. Her trajectory shows just how powerful legal training can be in preparing lawyers for senior leadership.

When reflecting on which skills from her legal background have shaped her leadership style, Sophie begins with mindset. “As lawyers, we’re trained to think of both or all sides,” she says — a habit that translates directly into executive decision-making. Leadership often requires examining counter-factuals and confronting uncomfortable scenarios: What if this doesn’t go to plan? What’s the risk we haven’t considered?  Sophie says, “that structured mindset — naturally considering every angle — has been incredibly helpful throughout my career.”

Sophie also draws a straight line between commercial law and leadership communication. “As a commercial lawyer, so much of the role is about capturing the agreement between parties — joining the dots and literally putting the jigsaw together in contract form.” Doing that well requires strong relationships, understanding different perspectives, and constantly imagining potential upsides and downsides through a “what if” lens. She adds that the discipline of writing in plain English has been a major asset. “Creating the opportunity to communicate in a manner which is clear and accessible is essential at every stage of a leadership career.”

Her experience negotiating deals in countries around the world has also shaped the way she leads. Working in different countries gave her repeated exposure to people, cultures and subtle dynamics. “You learn to read when someone’s body language isn’t consistent with their words,” she says. In a leadership context, that becomes a genuine superpower — but one that requires careful use. It helps her know when to push, when to pause, and when a private conversation is needed. “My legal training and practice has been a key platform for honing this important skill.”

For Sophie, the strongest connection between law and leadership ultimately comes down to something simple and human. “Being a good leader is about being a good human – being present, asking the next curious question, and actually listening to the response.” Whether analysing a legal issue or guiding an organisation forward, she says, “It is only by understanding others and the facts at hand that you can make considered decisions as a lawyer and a leader.”