Marcus Ganley brings more than 25 years of experience in government, politics, business and law to his role at Franks Ogilvie. He holds an MA (First Class Honours) in Political Studies from the University of Auckland, where he was the Commonwealth Scholar from Australia, and an LLB (First Class Honours)from Victoria University of Wellington. He was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2003 and as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in 2021.
Marcus spent over a decade working in the New Zealand Parliament, first in the select committee office, then as a senior adviser to ministers, including a prime minister and deputy prime minister. He later served as director of policy to an opposition leader and was a Wellington City Council candidate in 2010.
He has held senior roles in Australian politics, including as chief of staff to state and federal ministers and shadow ministers, and worked on the establishment of the Australian Parliamentary Budget Office in 2012.
From 2013 to 2016, Marcus was a board member and executive director (legal and corporate affairs) at Brisbane-based training provider Charlton Brown, leading its legal, corporate and government relations functions.
Marcus has worked on election campaigns across New Zealand and Australia, and has published research on MMP, select committee influence and Treaty settlements.
Marcus advises on public law matters with a focus on navigating the intersection of regulatory, parliamentary and business environments. He brings deep institutional insight, legislative expertise and practical policy skills to his client work.
Franks Ogilvie Special Counsel Marcus Ganley joined RNZ's Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan to discuss the new UK Prime Minister.
Marcus commented on Andy Burnham’s remarkable six-week path from Mayor of Greater Manchester to No. 10, his ability to connect with voters, the devolutionary ideas behind “Manchesterism”, and Burnham's experience as an MP, a Cabinet Minister and then governing Greater Manchester. Marcus and Jesse also discussed the appointment of John Healey as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
To listen to the full interview, click here.
Special Counsel Marcus Ganley joined Jesse Mulligan on RNZ's Afternoon programme to discuss the UK elections. With approximately 5000 council seats, and Parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, these elections were seen as a 'referendum' on Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership.
To listen to the full interview - click here.
As New Zealand approaches an election year, the challenge of regulating artificial intelligence in political campaigns is becoming increasingly urgent. Special Counsel Marcus Ganley has been at the forefront of this critical discussion, contributing expert analysis on how AI is already reshaping electoral politics.
Marcus recently authored an article for Newsroom titled "AI politicking isn't coming, it's already here and proving hard to regulate," which examines the current state of AI use in political advertising and the regulatory challenges it presents.
Building on this analysis, Marcus appeared on RNZ's Nights programme to discuss whether New Zealand is prepared for AI-generated content in this election cycle. In the interview, he spoke with host Emile Donovan about the emergence of AI-generated attack ads and what overseas regulatory approaches might offer New Zealand policymakers.
Drawing on his experience as a public law specialist and former ministerial adviser to the Clark government, as well as senior roles in Australian federal politics, Marcus brings valuable perspective to understanding how generative AI is transforming political communication—and the urgent need for appropriate safeguards.
As political parties begin deploying AI tools in their campaigns, Marcus's expertise helps inform the debate about protecting electoral integrity in an age of rapidly evolving technology.
To understand more about this topic, please contact Marcus.
