Communicado expands leadership team and shareholders following a strong year

(Pictured L-R: Fiona Mullen, Lucy Houldsworth, Joy Howard, Kerrie Ryan, Eliza Mielczarek)

Melbourne-based independent agency Communicado continued to grow in 2023, with new clients, new wins and new shareholders. As the agency cements itself as a force to be reckoned with in the creative agency landscape, three valued team members; Joy Howard, Fiona Mullen and Eliza Mielczarek have each taken a stake in the business, alongside directors Lucy Houldsworth and Kerrie Ryan.

Says Kerrie Ryan, managing director, Communicado: “We’ve been thinking about adding new shareholders for a while now. It’s taken years to craft and the road has been hard but the ideal growth strategy was right there, staring me in the face.  These three impressive women contribute in a really meaningful way – now even more so, not just as employees but as shareholders.

“This decision probably took longer than it should have, and I put it down to ‘imposter syndrome’, but time and time again, evidence suggests that together with Lucy and the entire Communicado team, we have what it takes to challenge the biggest and the best in the industry.”

Communicado has grown its revenue by 20% in the past year with the addition of 17 new clients. A testament to the team which has been achieved by doubling our creative department; Annie Price as executive creative director and Simon Fleming and Chris Buchanan as associate creative directors, elevating Communicado’s creative beyond expectations.

Continues Ryan: “We plan to take full advantage of our successes and now’s the right time to share the load as we scale for the future.  Our vision is to be a workplace where people can truly thrive, be 100% themselves and do inspirational work for our clients.

“Joy Howard, finance director joined the company in a part-time capacity 10 years ago and has been instrumental in the operations. Apart from her financial wizardry, Joy plays a key role in the company’s acquisition plans, which include investing in other founder-led agencies, as done with The Contenders & Content Hustlers.

“Fiona Mullen, our head of PR and integration lead, has been with the agency for three years, although it feels like she’s been part of the fabric for many more. It was a perfect match and she continues to thrive and build confidence with her clients, earning her the utmost respect across the whole agency.

“Eliza Mielczarek, head of strategy has been with Communicado for 10 years and has worked across the entire agency. Starting in PR, then moving into the digital and social team for a stint, before switching to the integration team, she’s now responsible for all new business and heads up strategy across the agency. She’s also been integral in building out our processes over the past twelve months to ensure the team can handle the growth.”

Culture continues to be a focus for the agency says Ryan: “This year, we have learnt and accepted it‘s ok to grow but whilst doing so, we can’t forget what makes us great. That comes down to the people who work in the business. We recently conducted an independent culture survey which assessed how our employees feel about our workplace. It gauged their satisfaction with their job and company management and I am pleased to report we achieved an outstanding result of 83% against a benchmark of 75%.”

Adds Houldsworth: “We are immensely proud of what we are achieving with growth across the board in terms of clients, revenue, team members and our passion for all things brand, PR digital, shopper, social and activation.

“What’s the saying? Teamwork makes the dream work!”