The Meliora Company is accelerating its Asia-Pacific expansion, acquiring boutique digital consultancy Backchat Media to establish its New Zealand presence and strengthen its digital performance and strategy offering.
The deal sees Backchat founder Mel Lee join Meliora as an equity partner, bringing the Auckland-based agency’s strategy, content and performance expertise into the broader Meliora network as it scales internationally.
Founded in 2015, Backchat Media has worked across a range of major regional clients including Seven West Media, Singtel Optus, MediaWorks NZ, the New Zealand Government, Les Mills International and NBCUniversal, alongside a number of independent agencies.
Its integration into Meliora adds specialist digital and content capabilities to a business positioning itself at the intersection of advisory, creative and product development.
Mel Lee, founder of Backchat Media and now partner at Meliora, said the move marks a natural evolution for the business.
“Backchat has always focused on helping brands and organisations navigate the fast-moving digital landscape with smart strategy, strong storytelling and measurable outcomes,” Lee said.
“Joining Meliora allows us to scale that philosophy with an international team that sits at the intersection of technology, creativity and product thinking. I’m incredibly excited to become a partner in Meliora and help establish its presence in New Zealand while bringing our digital and digital performance capabilities into the wider Meliora offering.”
Meliora managing partner Clive Dickens said the acquisition strengthens the company’s ability to support clients navigating the convergence of media, technology and AI.
“Meliora was built to help ambitious companies navigate the intersection of AI technology, creativity and human intelligence,” Dickens said.
“Mel has built a fantastic business with Backchat, and bringing that strategy and digital performance capability into Meliora further strengthens what we can offer clients across APAC and beyond.”
The move comes as Meliora continues to build out a broader ecosystem spanning advisory, creative and venture investment, aimed at companies undergoing rapid transformation across media and digital marketplaces.
That includes the recent launch of Meliora Ventures Fund One (MVF1), an AI-focused investment fund targeting CTO-led startups building practical applications of artificial intelligence.
The fund is focused on vertical AI startups, generative AI products and SaaS businesses with AI-driven differentiation, pairing capital with Meliora’s advisory services to accelerate growth.
Investments to date include IV.AI, Relevance AI, Source, Springboards.AI and StoryDesk.AI, with strategic advisors including Shazam co-founder Chris Barton and former Singtel Optus and Seven West Media executive William Hedberg.
With hubs now spanning Sydney, Los Angeles, London and Auckland, Meliora continues to scale its international footprint.
