International advisory firm Meliora is expanding its footprint across Asia-Pacific with the acquisition of Kiwi digital consultancy Backchat Media.
Meliora is an advisory, ventures and creative business that was founded in 2025 by entrepreneur Clive Dickens. It currently has offices in Australia, the US and the UK.
The deal sees Backchat founder Mel Lee join Meliora as an equity partner and establishes Meliora’s presence in Aotearoa. It will also bring Backchat’s boutique strategy and marketing capabilities into the Meliora offering internationally.
Natural step
Founded in Auckland in 2015, Backchat has delivered strategic digital and content work across a range of APAC companies. This includes Seven West Media, Singtel Optus, Mediaworks NZ, the New Zealand Government, Les Mills International and NBC Universal.
Lee says the move represented a natural next step for the business.
“Backchat has always focused on helping brands and organisations navigate the fast-moving digital landscape with smart strategy, strong storytelling and measurable outcomes.”
“Joining Meliora allows us to scale that philosophy with an international team that sits at the intersection of technology, creativity and product thinking. I’m incredibly excited to become a partner in Meliora and help establish its presence in New Zealand while bringing our digital and digital performance capabilities into the wider Meliora offering.”
Navigating rapid change
The acquisition further strengthens Meliora’s ability to support organisations navigating rapid change across media, technology and digital marketplaces in the AI driven economy.
Image: Jack Lonergan, Clive Dickens, Mel Lee
Dickens, Meliora managing partner, says the addition of Backchat strengthens the company’s growing capabilities across APAC.
“Meliora was built to help ambitious companies navigate the intersection of AI technology, creativity and human intelligence. Mel has built a fantastic business with Backchat, and bringing that strategy and digital performance capability into Meliora further strengthens what we can offer clients across APAC and beyond.”
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