Former Porter Novelli Australia leaders launch MGR&Co
L-R Rhys Ryan, Arj Ganeshalingam, Patrick McClelland
The three former leaders of Porter Novelli Australia have launched their new communications agency, MGR&Co, just two months after the Omnicom-owned PR firm closed its local operations.
Former CEO Rhys Ryan, COO Arj Ganeshalingam, and managing partner Patrick McClelland have reunited to launch the communications advisory firm, starting with a dozen clients and actively recruiting to build a team across Melbourne and Sydney.
Speaking to Mumbrella about launching a new venture after departing Omnicom, Ganeshalingam said he hoped it would hearken back to the early days of Porter Novelli under Clemenger Group’s ownership.
“We were all there for so long, and we always could make quick decisions, act fast, and do the right thing for our people and clients. To have that again as the three of us, and to do it on our own two feet, is really exciting,” he said.
“We have a business target, but the real ambition is growth,” he added. “This isn’t going to be a three-person firm forever: that’s not the plan, and it won’t be for long, by any means. We are actively recruiting and will continue to do so.
“We need to meet the needs of our clients, and we want to build a really strong team of communications practitioners around us.”
Porter Novelli entered the Australian market through a partnership with Noel Turnbull’s firm in the 1990s, and was later integrated into the Clemenger Group, and subsequently fully consolidated into Omnicom.
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All based in Melbourne, McClelland joined the agency in 2004, Ganeshalingam in 2011 and Ryan in January 2015, rising to CEO four years later.
Following Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG Mediabrands and a global restructure at the end of last year, the Porter Novelli brand was discontinued in Australia and the team was absorbed into Omnicom’s PR operations.
At the same time, Ryan and Ganeshalingam were made redundant and McClelland resigned from the agency.
Asked how they plan to differentiate their new agency, Ryan said the trio always aim to be hands-on in the work they deliver and avoid “bait-and-switch” practices that put clients with juniors after signing.
“There are many agencies and firms where, naturally, as you grow to the size we did at Porter Novelli, it becomes very easy for senior leadership to step away from the work,” he explained. “That has never been our intention, and it never has been. I think our clients could speak to that very confidently, particularly with the three of us.
“The first thing we’re committed to is hands-on advice and delivery, no matter how big we become in the coming months. Right now, we don’t really have a choice, but even historically, we’ve never been a ‘bait-and-switch’ team of leaders. I think that shouldn’t set us apart, but unfortunately, in the industry, it does happen.”
Meanwhile, Ganeshalingam said the agency doesn’t want to be a firm that simply offers a range of services. “If we started as a firm that just did a bunch of services, I think we would just become one of the many other agencies out there.”
Touching on the excitement of going independent again, Ganeshalingam added: “It’s just incredibly energising again, and that’s what we’re really pumped about.
“While I’ve worked with these guys for years, it all comes back to trust. We’ve worked together for a long period of time, and we can trust each other to take advantage of the opportunities ahead. We need trust, within the team and externally, and we certainly have that among the three of us.”
