Melodie Robinson is a trailblazer in sports media, a former international rugby star, and a dynamic leader in New Zealand’s broadcasting industry.
As the General Manager of Sports and Events at TVNZ since 2019, she has been at the forefront of shaping the country’s sports strategy, overseeing major event coverage, and driving commercial partnerships. In 2024, her role expanded to include commercial responsibilities, working closely with sales teams to monetise sports and events while strengthening agency and client relationships.
Her impressive career spans multiple domains, from elite sports to media and business. As a former Black Fern, she played a crucial role in the team’s dominance on the world stage, securing two Rugby World Cup titles. While excelling on the field, she pursued academics, earning a BA from the University of Otago before obtaining a National Certificate in Journalism from the Wellington School of Journalism. Her passion for storytelling led her to political reporting in radio before transitioning into digital sports production at XtraMSN, where she played a pioneering role in creating online sports content.
Melodie broke barriers in 2002 when she became the world’s first female rugby commentator with SKY Sports. Over the years, she covered major sporting events, including the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Rugby World Cup, and Super Rugby, establishing herself as a respected voice in sports media. In 2019, she further cemented her leadership credentials by completing an MBA at the University of Auckland, where her research focused on sports sponsorship frameworks.
Beyond broadcasting, she is an advocate for gender diversity in sports media and founded The Wonderful Group, an initiative dedicated to advancing women’s roles and influence in the industry. She also holds influential governance positions, including a seat on the World Rugby executive board, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the sport’s strategic direction, commercial initiatives, and compliance frameworks.
Melodie’s contributions to sports, media, and leadership have made her a prominent figure in New Zealand’s sporting landscape. A champion of innovation, inclusion, and high performance, she continues to redefine the future of sports broadcasting and governance.
Melodie was a star! She was gracious, articulate and presented beautifully. Not only did she MC our Gala Dinner but also read the Excellence Awards citations with enthusiasm. Melodie answere ... keep reading FINZ Better Stronger Smarter Conference
It was fantastic to have Melodie keynote at our IWD event. She connected with the crowd through her authentic stories and left us with many inspiring thoughts.
Would definitely use Melodie again and recommend her as a great choice for a speaker. Appreciate that she was able to go with the flow and bring something special to our event.
Melodie was a brilliant MC for our Sporting speaker series. Her knowledge of the sporting world enabled her to engage our panelists with great questions, but even answer a few of her own! She was wonderful.
Melodie was a complete professional, lovely to deal with and was able to capture and engage the large crowd with a great mix of humour and thoughtful reflection and insights. Would definitely recommend her for future large dinners as a speaker or MC.
