Omnicom PR hit by ex-Porter Novelli leadership exodus. July 27, 2026 10:59 Omnicom Australia's PR operations have been hit by a wave of senior departures, with Porter Novelli's entire Sydney team exiting following last year's merger with Fleishmanhillard, Mumbrella understands. At least four former Porter Novelli leaders have departed the merged operation, including managing partner Laura Hill and director of corporate communications Victoria Fruean, who have moved to Aware Super and law firm Allens respectively. Head of media relations Madeleine Hanley also exited last month to lead PR at MG Motors, while cyber client lead Lauren Clancy departed earlier this year to join the Reserve Bank of Australia. Mumbrella understands all 10 members of Porter Novelli's Sydney team have moved on following the retirement of the agency brand last year, shortly after Omnicom finalised its global acquisition of Interpublic Group. Sources pointed to a culture clash following the merger into Fleishmanhillard, which sits within Omnicom's PR "earned centre of excellence", as a factor behind the departures. The centre of excellence, one of six established under Omnicom's new Oceania structure, is led by Roberto Pace and also includes brand Eleven PR. The departures follow the exit of Porter Novelli's three most senior leaders, CEO Rhys Ryan, chief operating officer Arj Ganeshalingam and managing partner Patrick McClelland, who went on to launch independent consultancy MGR&Co. Omnicom did comment when contacted by Mumbrella. The holding company has also appointed Ubank's Alan Tanner to replace Fruean in the role. Elsewhere in Omnicom, public affairs and strategic communications firm GRACosway has also been hit by a recent exodus, with partners Brigid Glanville, Andrew Cox and Nick Xerakias among those to depart last Friday, AFR reported. The exits follow the departures of GRACosway managing partner Ben Wilson, who joined Teneo as head of Australian strategy and communications in May, and partner Sandy Kay-Oswald, who moved to HII in June. According to AFR's Street Talk column, the exits were partly driven by changes to the partner structure, after an equity scheme previously offered to partners under previous Clemenger Group ownership was scrapped following Omnicom's acquisition of the business. The deal, which closed in October, saw Omnicom acquire the remaining stake in Clemenger Group, with the transaction delivering a reported payout of around $79 million to employee shareholders. Eleanor Dickinson is a journalist with more than a decade of experience across the UK, Middle East, Asia and Australia. She served as editor of Mumbrella Asia from 2017 to 2018, before spending seven years reporting on technology in Australia. She returned to Mumbrella as chief reporter in September 2025. Have your say. Or comment anonymously Your comment will be marked as unverified

Omnicom Media names new global brand president for OMD. Omnicom Media has appointed Ellen Griffin (pictured) as global brand president of its media agency network, OMD, succeeding George Manas, who has moved to Omnicom as chief growth and solutions officer. In her new role, which takes effect immediately, she will oversee strategy, capabilities and service solutions for the agency globally, ensuring markets are equipped with the tools, talent and technology needed to drive growth for clients, the business and its people. The role of global brand president is a newly introduced title across Omnicom Media agencies following the group's acquisition of IPG, replacing what was previously known as the global CEO position. According to Florian Adamski, CEO, Omnicom Media, the leadership appointment reflects the network's focus on placing practitioner-leaders in senior roles across its agencies. "George has been an exceptional steward of the OMD brand over the past four years," Adamski said, noting that during Manas' tenure the network strengthened its position as a leading media agency globally. Griffin joined OMD in 2018 as global innovation director and has since played a key role in evolving the agency's operating model, talent strategy and capabilities to address the changing needs of modern marketers. She later moved into the role of global chief client solutions officer, where she helped develop customised client solutions powered by the Omni Intelligence Platform. As the agency's first global COO, she also led the development and adoption of customised operating models across OMD's global client base. Adamski said Griffin brings extensive experience, having led marketing transformation for clients including The Clorox Company, McDonald's and PepsiCo. "She will ensure OMD agencies around the world fully leverage Omnicom Media's strengths in scale, data, identity, commerce and talent to unlock growth for our clients." Griffin takes on the role at a time when the marketing landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with platforms shifting, commerce expanding and AI reshaping how consumers discover and engage with brands. "In this environment, clients need partners who help them navigate not only the challenges they see, but the ones they do not yet recognise," Griffin said. "By connecting insights, platforms, data and media strategy, we help clients anticipate change, unlock new opportunities for growth and act with confidence in an increasingly dynamic landscape." The move is part of a series of leadership changes underway across the group globally. Joey Zhao, CEO of PHD China, was appointed chief operating officer of Omnicom Media China earlier this month, bringing 15 years of experience to the role. Zhao will continue to lead PHD China alongside his new group-wide responsibilities. Meanwhile, Omnicom Production has appointed Melissa Chan as its CEO for APAC, according to a post she shared on LinkedIn. She reports directly to Omnicom Production global CEO Sergio Lopez. Earlier this year, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reported that Omnicom Public Relations would restructure its global PR portfolio following Omnicom's acquisition of IPG. It was said that Golin and Ketchum would merge to form a single agency, while Porter Novelli will integrate as a dedicated brand within FleishmanHillard.