Milk & Honey pauses Australia operations following recruitment challenges

Independent PR agency Milk & Honey is being forced to ‘press pause’ in Australia as it struggles to recruit a suitable replacement for partner and managing director Caroline Addy during her forthcoming maternity leave. All team members and clients have been notified and several clients have been referred to other agencies locally. Addy said there have been no redundancies as part of the move. 

The agency, which specialises in B Corp accreditation, started in the UK in 2017 and has recently launched an office in New York. In the last 18 months of operation in Sydney, the team of five became profitable while servicing tech, financial services and professional services clients.

Addy said, “Despite our growing international reputation for being a great place to work and looking after our people, the intense lock-down, border closures and dwindling talent pool has made recruitment hellish.” 

Founder & group CEO Kirsty Leighton said, “Caroline has done a heroic job of growing our business in Australia. Attracting and servicing some wonderful local and global brands. She has put her heart and soul into the business and delivered amazing results. The job market and dirth of PR talent has proved our undoing. We have been unable to find the right leader to step into her fabulous shoes while on maternity leave, so have made the hard decision to ‘press pause’ for now.”

Leighton added that the agency’s growth plans internationally remain on track as it aims towards growth in Europe, North America and APAC over the next five years.