Palin Communications

What Palin Communications does

Palin Communications is an Australian health-focused public relations agency founded in the mid-1990s by Martin Palin and Gabrielle Palin, and headquartered in North Sydney, NSW. The firm operates as a B2B professional services provider exclusively serving the health and wellness sector, with primary client segments including large pharmaceutical companies (GSK, Novartis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Ipsen, Eisai, ViiV Healthcare, CSL Seqirus), consumer health brands (Haleon), medical device manufacturers (LivaNova), not-for-profit health organisations (Hearts4heart, JAFA, All.Can, The Groundswell Project), and emerging health verticals such as psychedelic-assisted therapy clinics. The agency describes itself as Australia's biggest and longest-standing independent health-focused PR agency.

The firm's core services span healthcare media relations, social media marketing, disease awareness campaigns, crisis and issues management, stakeholder engagement, healthcare product launches, video production, communications research, event management, and media training. Its operating methodology is an 'earned first' multichannel approach that integrates earned, owned, paid, and shared media, with deep specialization in regulatory frameworks governing Australian pharmaceutical communications, particularly Medicines Australia Code of Conduct compliance and TGA regulatory milestones. The firm employs 1-10 staff, holds no proprietary technology, and generates revenue through project-based contracts, retainer arrangements, and fee-for-service engagements negotiated per client.

Palin Communications joined the GlobalCom PR Network in December 2023, an alliance of 80+ independent PR agencies across 100+ countries, enabling cross-border health campaign delivery. Since 2023, the firm has continued leadership development (Karina Durham promoted from General Manager to CEO in April 2023), expanded its client base across adjacent verticals, and accumulated industry recognition including 2025 CPRA Golden Target Awards, the 2025 GlobalCom GCPR Impact Gold Award for its GSK shingles awareness work, and the 2026 CairnsHatchlings competition win. The company remains founder-influenced and privately held, with no disclosed external investment or parent ownership.

Name

Palin Communications

Legal name

Palin Communications Pty Ltd

Website

https://palin.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Palin Communications is an Australian independent health-focused PR agency serving pharmaceutical, consumer health, medical device, and not-for-profit health clients with earned-first multichannel communications, regulatory expertise, and crisis, disease awareness, and product launch services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Public Relations

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Media Representatives (54184)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Life Sciences PR (BPAFADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crisis Communications & Issues Management (BPAFADAE), Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF)

Keywords

• Health public relations
• Pharmaceutical communications
• Disease awareness campaigns
• Healthcare media relations
• Crisis communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Chatswood

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. PR and Communications Services: Palin Communications generates revenue through providing professional public relations, media relations, social media marketing, crisis management, and health communications consulting services to healthcare and pharmaceutical clients. Services are delivered through project-based contracts, retainer arrangements, and fee-for-service engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Palin Communications is a specialised health-focused public relations agency that delivers earned-media-led, multichannel communications campaigns for pharmaceutical, consumer health, medical device and not-for-profit health clients. Services span media relations, social media marketing, disease awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement, crisis/issues management, product launch support, healthcare video production, communications research, event management and media training, delivered through project-based contracts and retainers across Australia and New Zealand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Healthcare Media Relations Media relations services focused on generating earned media coverage for health-related news, announcements and developments through strategic outreach to journalists and media outlets; for pharmaceutical, consumer health, medical device, health service and not-for-profit health clients.
• Healthcare Social Media Marketing Social media marketing services that leverage platforms to drive better health engagement and awareness for health-focused brands and organisations.
• Disease Awareness PR Public relations campaigns designed to focus media attention on specific health conditions, raising public awareness and understanding of diseases for pharmaceutical sponsors, patient advocacy groups and disease foundations.
• Stakeholder Engagement Services focused on building and maintaining relationships with key health stakeholders including patient groups, healthcare professionals and industry partners.
• Issues Management (Crisis Communications) Crisis communications and issues management services to help health organisations effectively manage health-related issues or crises.
• Healthcare Product Launches PR services supporting launches of health products or services for pharmaceutical companies, consumer health organisations and medical device manufacturers.
• Healthcare Video Production Video content production services to showcase health campaigns, supplement marketing efforts and tell compelling health stories.
• Health Communications Research Research services to inform health communications strategies and campaigns.
• Healthcare Event Management Event management services for health-focused events, launches and stakeholder gatherings.
• Message Rehearsals and Media Training Training services to prepare spokespeople for media interviews and help them effectively communicate health messages.
• Digital Campaigns Integrated digital campaign services combining earned, owned, paid and shared media approaches for health communications briefs.
• How To Do Health PR e-book Free 50-page e-book providing guidance on health PR best practices, including topics like celebrity ambassadors, crisis communications, media releases, corporate narratives and sensitive storytelling in healthcare.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voltaren City2Surf campaign: 50+ pieces of coverage, 11 million+ opportunities to see, 19,000+ social media impressions, 400+ new followers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Journey ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Palin Communications supported the launch of The Journey Clinic, a pioneering mental health service. The campaign included two sister clinics: The Journey Addiction Rehabilitation Clinic and The Journey Psychedelic Outpatient Clinic (Australia's first individualised psychedelic-assisted therapy service).
• Taiwan Trade Council in SydneyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Palin Communications is working with the Taiwan Trade Council in Sydney to promote Taiwan's global visibility in the health industry through the 'Go Healthy with Taiwan' program.
• Taiwan Trade Council in SydneyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Working with Taiwan Trade Council to promote Taiwan's global visibility in the health industry through the 'Go Healthy with Taiwan' program.
• Hearts4heartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Palin Communications partnered with Hearts4heart for Heart Valve Disease (HVD) Awareness Week campaigns. Generated over 400 earned media stories and 15 million+ opportunities to see campaign messages.
• GSK AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ongoing partnership with GSK Australia to raise shingles awareness. Campaign work achieved record-setting milestones and earned the GlobalCom PR Network GCPR Impact Gold Award. The partnership has delivered multiple record-setting campaigns.
• GlobalCom PR NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Palin Communications joined GlobalCom PR Network in December 2023. The network comprises 80+ independent PR agencies across 100+ countries with 1,400+ communications professionals. This partnership enables delivery of meaningful, consistent, impactful global health campaigns and provides access to international expertise and cross-border campaign opportunities.
• Laundry LaneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPalin Communications teamed up with Laundry Lane to run a webinar exploring Sensitive Storytelling in Medical Communications.
• The Groundswell Project AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPalin Communications partnered with The Groundswell Project Australia for its annual Dying to Know campaign, aimed at improving death literacy and positivity around death and dying.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Edelman is the world's largest public relations firm with a substantial health practice (Edelman Health) serving pharma, consumer health, and biotech clients. Broad incumbent competitor for enterprise health PR mandates.
• Burson (formerly BCW): Burson is a major global public relations firm (formerly BCW) with strong healthcare, pharmaceutical, and crisis communications practices. Competes for the same enterprise pharma PR engagements as Palin but at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Hill & Knowlton (H+K): Hill & Knowlton is a global public relations consultancy with a dedicated healthcare and pharmaceutical practice. Overlaps with Palin's service offering in health media relations, disease awareness, and crisis communications.

Direct peers

• Spectrum Science: Spectrum Science is a pure-play health and science communications agency focused on biotech, pharmaceutical, and health-tech clients. Closest comparable to Palin in terms of size, vertical specialization, and health-only positioning.
• Havas Health & You: Havas Health & You is a global health communications network offering PR, medical communications, and brand marketing across pharma and consumer health. Direct competitor for healthcare PR briefs at multinational accounts.
• GCI Health: GCI Health is a specialty healthcare public relations agency within WPP focused exclusively on pharmaceutical, biotech, and consumer health clients. Comparable operating model and client base to Palin's health-focused offering.
• FleishmanHillard: FleishmanHillard runs a global healthcare and life sciences communications practice serving pharma, medical device, and consumer health clients. Highly comparable offering to Palin's, with much larger global footprint and similar 'earned-first' multi-channel approach.
• Weber Shandwick: Weber Shandwick operates one of the world's largest healthcare public relations practices, serving pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and consumer health clients globally. Directly comparable to Palin as a specialist health PR offering competing for the same multinational pharma accounts.
• Syneos Health Communications: Syneos Health Communications provides integrated health communications and public relations services to pharma, biotech, and medical device companies. Comparable end-to-end health PR offering with deeper infrastructure (clinical, commercial).

Regional players

• Cannings Purple: Cannings Purple is an Australian strategic communications and public affairs firm with a strong health sector practice (Cannings Health). Closest ANZ-region competitor to Palin for healthcare media relations and stakeholder engagement briefs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PalinComm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmRH-3a9M9dx702E7RQgkDQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/palin-communications
• Instagraminstagram.com/palincomm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palin Communications