MGR&CO is a communications advisory firm that helps clients pursue growth, navigate change and preserve trust.
We provide clarity, confidence and a campaign mindset to communications when it matters most.
MGR&CO advises corporations, brands, governments and not-for-profits about reputation, corporate affairs, public awareness and change campaigns and crisis preparation and response.
Our programs establish three positions of strength to deliver impact:
Pursue growth
We build evidence-led strategies that raise visibility and enhance reputation to deliver real organisational outcomes.
Navigate change
We create campaigns that connect communities in times of change, with an unmatched knowledge of regional Australia.
Preserve trust
We help organisations invest in and protect their reputation in a crisis, and are Australia’s leading communications firm in cyber incident response.
Services
MGR&CO draws upon a breadth of capabilities in moments of growth, change or crisis.
Strategy & Insights
Strategy & Insights
Communications campaigns
Stakeholder engagement
Digital and social media strategy
Communications campaigns
Stakeholder engagement
Digital and social media strategy
Campaigns & Content
Campaigns & Content
Media relations campaigns
Public awareness campaigns
Executive profiling
Thought leadership programs
Design, video and audio
Partnerships
Media relations campaigns
Public awareness campaigns
Executive profiling
Thought leadership programs
Design, video and audio
Partnerships
Reputation Management
Reputation Management
Crisis planning and response
Cyber incident preparation and response
Simulation exercises
Community management
Employee and industrial relations
Advocacy and political engagement
Crisis planning and response
Cyber incident preparation and response
Simulation exercises
Community management
Employee and industrial relations
Advocacy and political engagement
Communications Training
Communications Training
Media training
Presentation training
Challenging conversations
Media training
Presentation training
Challenging conversations
Experience
We work across a range of industries to navigate complexity and communicate with purpose.
Agribusiness
Cybersecurity
Education
Financial services
First Nations affairs
Food manufacturing
Government
Health
Non-profits and industry associations
Professional services
Regional land use
Retail
Technology
Agribusiness
Cybersecurity
Education
Financial services
First Nations affairs
Food manufacturing
Government
Health
Non-profits and industry associations
Professional services
Regional land use
Retail
Technology
Leaders
Patrick McClelland
Director
Arj Ganeshalingam
Director
Rhys Ryan
Director
Patrick McClelland
Director
Patrick is a stakeholder engagement specialist with more than 21 years’ experience advising organisations across agribusiness, government, health and community sectors. He works at the intersection of media, government relations, corporate communications and public affairs, providing communications advice that enhances brand and reputation in ways that are often never visible.
Prior to MGR&CO, Patrick was Managing Partner at Porter Novelli, where he led a specialist agribusiness consulting team, drawing on a network of engaged stakeholders and a deep, practical understanding of agriculture and rural Australia.
Patrick works in complex public-interest environments, including in agribusiness, regional healthcare and land use change, where transparency, accountability and trust are under sustained scrutiny and pressure. His focus is governance alignment, senior stakeholder counsel and navigating highly complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
He is Deputy Chair of Agribusiness Australia and Chair of its Victorian State Council.
Email: patrickm@mgrco.com.au
Arj Ganeshalingam
Director
Arj provides senior communications counsel to corporations, governments and not-for-profits across consumer brands, education, health, retail and technology. He has led award-winning government and corporate communications programs and advised organisations including the Australian and State Governments, AFL, BMW Group, Mars, IDP Education, Oxfam, Panasonic, UNSW and Vicinity Centres.
He is highly experienced in preparing leaders and spokespeople for high-profile engagements and in managing sensitive and complex issues, including major cyber incidents.
Prior to MGR&CO, Arj was Chief Operating Officer of Porter Novelli, where he oversaw the delivery of high-quality client work and led service excellence and collaboration across the business. He also managed communications for the firm’s parent company, Clemenger Group, across Australia and New Zealand.
Arj is also a director of FrontRunners, a non-profit organisation that harnesses the influence of athletes and sports organisations to drive climate action and environmental leadership.
Email: arjg@mgrco.com.au
Rhys Ryan
Director
Rhys advises clients on building corporate reputation, particularly in issues and crisis management, executive positioning, thought leadership and advocacy campaigns, drawing on 25 years’ experience in media and communications. He provides advisory to executive teams and boards, but has always remained on the tools for clients each day.
Following an early stint as a broadcast journalist, Rhys moved into strategic communications, working on more than 200 client engagements in Australia, New York and San Francisco with global public relations firms Porter Novelli and Edelman.
Prior to MGR&CO, Rhys was Chief Executive Officer at Porter Novelli Australia, overseeing all aspects of campaign delivery, innovation and practice. In recent years, Rhys has led a specialist team in crisis and cyber response, working on more than 100 high-profile and sensitive matters, which has resulted in MGR&CO becoming preferred partners for Australia’s leading cyber insurers and specialist law firms.
Email: rhysr@mgrco.com.au
Leaders
Patrick McClelland Director
Patrick is a stakeholder engagement specialist with more than 21 years’ experience advising organisations across agribusiness, government, health and community sectors. He works at the intersection of media, government relations, corporate communications and public affairs, providing communications advice that enhances brand and reputation in ways that are often never visible.
Prior to MGR&CO, Patrick was Managing Partner at Porter Novelli, where he led a specialist agribusiness consulting team, drawing on a network of engaged stakeholders and a deep, practical understanding of agriculture and rural Australia.
Patrick works in complex public-interest environments, including in agribusiness, regional healthcare and land use change, where transparency, accountability and trust are under sustained scrutiny and pressure. His focus is governance alignment, senior stakeholder counsel and navigating highly complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
He is Deputy Chair of Agribusiness Australia and Chair of its Victorian State Council.
Email: patrickm@mgrco.com.au
Arj Ganeshalingam Director
Arj provides senior communications counsel to corporations, governments and not-for-profits across consumer brands, education, health, retail and technology. He has led award-winning government and corporate communications programs and advised organisations including the Australian and State Governments, AFL, BMW Group, Mars, IDP Education, Oxfam, Panasonic, UNSW and Vicinity Centres.
He is highly experienced in preparing leaders and spokespeople for high-profile engagements and in managing sensitive and complex issues, including major cyber incidents.
Prior to MGR&CO, Arj was Chief Operating Officer of Porter Novelli, where he oversaw the delivery of high-quality client work and led service excellence and collaboration across the business. He also managed communications for the firm’s parent company, Clemenger Group, across Australia and New Zealand.
Arj is also a director of FrontRunners, a non-profit organisation that harnesses the influence of athletes and sports organisations to drive climate action and environmental leadership.
Email: arjg@mgrco.com.au
Rhys Ryan Director
Rhys advises clients on building corporate reputation, particularly in issues and crisis management, executive positioning, thought leadership and advocacy campaigns, drawing on 25 years’ experience in media and communications. He provides advisory to executive teams and boards, but has always remained on the tools for clients each day.
Following an early stint as a broadcast journalist, Rhys moved into strategic communications, working on more than 200 client engagements in Australia, New York and San Francisco with global public relations firms Porter Novelli and Edelman.
Prior to MGR&CO, Rhys was Chief Executive Officer at Porter Novelli Australia, overseeing all aspects of campaign delivery, innovation and practice. In recent years, Rhys has led a specialist team in crisis and cyber response, working on more than 100 high-profile and sensitive matters, which has resulted in MGR&CO becoming preferred partners for Australia’s leading cyber insurers and specialist law firms.
Email: rhysr@mgrco.com.au
Values
Five values guide how we think, work and act at MGR&CO.
We are responsible.
We take ownership, think long term and exercise sound judgment.
We earn trust.
We do what we say we will do and always act with integrity.
We are decisive.
We value clarity and momentum and stand behind informed decisions.
We are precise.
We apply evidence and work with discipline, care and attention to detail.
We create advantage.
We focus on outcomes and work with intent to move clients from here to there.
Values
Five values guide how we think, work and act at MGR&CO.
We are responsible.
We take ownership, think long term and exercise sound judgment.
We earn trust.
We do what we say we will do and always act with integrity.
We are decisive.
We value clarity and momentum and stand behind informed decisions.
We are precise.
We apply evidence and work with discipline, care and attention to detail.
We create advantage.
We focus on outcomes and work with intent to move clients from here to there.
Contact
MGR&CO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia.
We pay our respect to them, their culture and their elders, past and present.
©MGR&CO 2026