Sydney, Australia – International advisory, ventures, and creative firm Meliora has acquired Auckland-based digital consultancy Backchat Media, bringing the boutique agency’s founder, Mel Lee, into the fold as an equity partner.
The move comes as Meliora, founded by Clive Dickens in 2025, seeks to cement a New Zealand presence and expand its regional digital strategy and performance capabilities.
Backchat, founded in 2015, has advised clients across Asia-Pacific, including Seven West Media, Singtel Optus, Mediaworks NZ, the New Zealand Government, Les Mills International, and NBC Universal.
Its content and strategy work has earned it a reputation for precision in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace.
Beyond the balance sheet, the acquisition positions Meliora to offer a more integrated suite of services, combining advisory, creative, and product development expertise with a focus on AI-driven solutions.
The company has also recently launched Meliora Ventures Fund One, targeting CTO-led startups and generative AI products, with early investments in IV.AI, Relevance AI, Source, Springboards.AI, and StoryDesk.AI.
Lee said joining Meliora offered the chance to “scale our philosophy with an international team at the intersection of technology, creativity, and product thinking.”
Dickens noted that Backchat’s digital performance expertise would “strengthen what we can offer clients across APAC and beyond.”
With hubs in Sydney, Los Angeles, London, and now Auckland, Meliora is building a network aimed at supporting firms through rapid technological change and the region’s competitive push for AI and digital innovation.
