Porter Novelli Australia leaders Arj Ganeshalingam, Patrick McClelland and Rhys Ryan have launched MGR&CO, an independent, full-service communications and advisory firm serving corporations, brands, non-profits and government agencies.
MGR’s founders bring 65 years’ collective experience advising organisations on reputation, corporate affairs, national public awareness and change campaigns, and crisis preparation and response.
The firm is focused on high-trust strategic counsel and hands-on delivery, giving clients direct access to experienced consultants pursuing growth, navigating change and preserving trust in moments of opportunity or scrutiny.
MGR’s service offering spans communications strategy, campaigns and content, reputation management and communications training, with creative capabilities to support end-to-end design and production.
The firm will serve key sectors, including education, financial services, government, health, food manufacturing, professional services, retail and technology.
MGR&CO will offer deep capability across agribusiness, regional development and land-use change, supporting the growth and innovation of agriculture, regional industries and communities. The firm works across energy transition, health, government, emergency management and infrastructure, building on decades of work with industry bodies, governments and major regional employers.
The firm will also specialise in cybersecurity and cyber incident response, with its founders having worked on more than 100 data breaches and advising organisations through some of Australia’s most sensitive data incidents in recent years.
MGR director Rhys Ryan said the founders would lead both strategy and delivery for clients – and that this would remain the case as the company hires new people over the coming months.
“Communications has become big and expensive, or small and shallow, but we’ve always stayed on the tools. That means our clients work with experienced consultants who know their business, actually do the work, and help leaders make decisions when the stakes are high,” Ryan said.
“We’re excited to be able to give 100 per cent of our focus to our clients and our people without interference or large overheads. We curated a strong culture at Porter Novelli, and we’re looking forward to making MGR a great place to work.”
MGR director Patrick McClelland, who is deputy chair of Agribusiness Australia, said working in regional Australia demands credibility and expertise, and deep networks within communities.
“In agribusiness and regional Australia, you need to know. You need to know what you’re talking about, you need to know agriculture and regional communities, and you need to know the right people,” McClelland said.
“Over the past 20 years, I have been driven by helping farmers, businesses and regional communities build strong, successful enterprises that sustain prosperity. I’m passionate about helping our clients drive positive change, while supporting an environment in which people can disagree respectfully.”
MGR director Arj Ganeshalingam, while working for Porter Novelli, also played a long-term role overseeing communications and reputation for Clemenger Group.
“We’re grateful for everything we learned leading one of Clemenger Group’s most respected operating companies. We were taught to focus on exceptional client service, the quality of our work and growing careers for our people at Porter Novelli,” Ganeshalingam said.
“At the same time, we were always trusted to run the firm ourselves and act responsibly – which we did successfully for many years. We fostered an entrepreneurial spirit alongside our clients and are now excited to enter this new chapter.”
