Hamish McLennan

Hamish McLennan
Born	(1966-06-13) June 13, 1966 Australia
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, business executive
Known for	Chairman of REA Group, Magellan Financial Group, ARN Media; former chairman of Rugby Australia; former CEO of Ten Network Holdings; former chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam

Hamish McLennan (born 13 June 1966) is an Australian entrepreneur who leads several prominent companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. He serves as chairman of REA Group, a global digital real estate advertising enterprise valued in the multibillion-dollar range and owned by News Corporation. Additionally, McLennan holds the chairmanship at Magellan Financial Group, an equity fund with an international investment focus, and ARN Media. He also holds a directorship at Claim Central Consolidated, a worldwide claims management firm. From May 2020 until November 2023, he fulfilled the role of chairman for Rugby Australia.

Earlier in his career, McLennan was executive vice president within the Office of the Chairman at News Corporation. He also led Young & Rubicam as chairman, overseeing its largest division under Y&R Brands, which is part of WPP plc, the leading global marketing and advertising services conglomerate. His executive background further includes serving as CEO and managing director of the free-to-air television network Ten Network Holdings.

Career

McLennan completed his education at Sydney Church of England Grammar School in Sydney. His advertising career commenced in Sydney with George Patterson Bates, where he specialized in Account Management. In 1994, he transitioned to Bates Hong Kong as International Client Services Director before returning to Sydney. Subsequently, at age 32, he was appointed managing director of George Patterson Bates Melbourne. By 1999, he advanced to National Managing Director.

In 2002, McLennan took on the roles of chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam Australia/New Zealand. During his tenure, the agency achieved top new business revenue growth for two consecutive years, secured several Cannes Grand Prix awards, and established a leading digital division with key client Telstra. He then masterminded the merger of his former agency to create George Patterson Y&R. In 2006, WPP founder Martin Sorrell named him chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam globally, where he acquired major international clients such as LG, Bacardi, Dell, Goldman Sachs, and Virgin Atlantic.

McLennan subsequently collaborated with News Corporation executive chair Rupert Murdoch as executive vice president in the Office of the Chairman. In March 2013, he assumed the position of CEO and managing director at Ten Network Holdings, succeeding James Warburton. He reinvigorated the network by redefining audience strategies and introducing new sports and reality content, resulting in increased advertising market share. McLennan departed Ten in 2015 prior to a corporate transaction.

In 2018, he acquired multiple data and digital enterprises within REA Group. The following year, he was appointed Chairman of HT&E, operator of ARN, Australia's foremost radio network. Also in 2019, he became deputy chair at Magellan Financial Group, an Australian company managing assets totaling $104 billion. He was elevated to chairman of Magellan in February 2022.

Rugby Australia

McLennan joined the board of Rugby Australia and was appointed chair in May 2020. Under his stewardship, Australia secured designation as preferred host for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in November 2021.

By June 2022, New Zealand's Stuff characterized McLennan as a "pantomime villain" whose focus on maximizing financial returns for Rugby Australia heightened friction with NZ Rugby.

In January 2023, less than eight months before the 2023 Rugby World Cup, McLennan replaced coach Dave Rennie with former England head coach Eddie Jones. Australia exited in the tournament's first round—their poorest World Cup performance—and Jones resigned in October 2023.

On 29 November 2023, McLennan was dismissed from his role as chairman and resigned from the board; he was succeeded by Daniel Herbert.

Social responsibility

McLennan has contributed as a board member of the United Negro College Fund, a U.S.-based charitable organization dedicated to providing scholarships for African American students. Additionally, he holds a position on the board of the Advertising Council, a non-profit entity focused on developing and disseminating public service campaigns.

In 2007, he extended an invitation to former US Vice President Al Gore to attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, encouraging the advertising sector to engage in climate change initiatives. That same year, Y&R supported Gore’s Live Earth Concerts, which were hosted simultaneously on seven continents on 7 July 2007 to elevate global consciousness about environmental challenges.

In 2019, McLennan became a member of the fundraising board for the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. This institute employs more than 600 scientists specializing in biomedical and genomic studies and is one of only three institutions worldwide with the capability to sequence the human genome.

Professional leadership

McLennan has actively participated in the World Economic Forum held in Davos, contributing to discussions on the future of the automotive sector and innovation strategies. He also engaged in the Davos Reverse Mentoring Programme, an initiative designed to improve the representation and visibility of women within media organizations.

Since 2007, he has been responsible for organizing seminars at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity aimed at fostering industry knowledge and collaboration.