Adfactors PR has acquired a majority stake in SenateSHJ, one of Australia’s independent communications consultancies, marking Adfactors PR’s expansion of its presence into Australia.
SenateSHJ will retain its identity and client teams and continue to be led by its Co-founder and Chair, Angela Scaffidi AM, and Chief Executive Officer, Darren Behar. The business will continue to operate from its offices in Sydney and Melbourne.
Adfactors PR Chief Executive Officer Niyati N. Nair, who also leads the company’s M&A and global initiatives, will join the SenateSHJ board.
Madan Bahal, Co-founder and Managing Director of Adfactors PR, said, “SenateSHJ is a formidable business with an outstanding reputation, exceptional leadership and proven expertise in solving complex communication challenges.”
He said the two organisations shared a strong alignment in the way they think about the world, clients, people and the role they can play in shaping the future.
Bahal also pointed to the growing business opportunities between India and Australia.
“India and Australia are emerging as a strategic business corridor, and we trust the new partnership will help clients in both markets to create new opportunities in the wider Asia Pacific region. We hope to explore more opportunities in the region to create a strong Asia Pacific presence,” he said.
Rajesh Chaturvedi, Co-founder and Chairman of Adfactors PR, said, “We have had the privilege of serving India Inc. for the last 29 years through many cycles in the global and domestic business environment. I am happy that with this new partnership our relationship capital will expand to a significant market like Australia.”
Angela Scaffidi AM, Co-founder and Chair of SenateSHJ, said the firm was proud of the business it had built over the past 24 years, including its people, client work and relationships.
“We have built a relationship of deep trust with Adfactors PR over the past decade. We feel a deep connection to the way they think and feel about the world, their people and the work they do with clients,” she said.
Scaffidi added that client challenges were increasingly crossing borders and that being part of a group with scale across India, Asia Pacific and beyond would help the firm address more of those challenges while retaining what had made SenateSHJ what it is.
For Adfactors PR, the investment represents an expansion of its presence and capabilities into Australia. For SenateSHJ, the partnership provides access to scale and an international network while creating opportunities to grow its expertise, intellectual property and impact.