One of Roxy Jacenko’s former Sweaty Betty PR ‘clones’ and her right-hand woman for five years has broken her silence on her departure from the firm.
Publicist Holly Asser, 28, who left the Paddington-based company in late 2018, spoke about her exit in an Instagram Q&A on Sunday night.
She confirmed she was no longer speaking to her former employer and best friend, and said her seemingly abrupt resignation had in fact been ‘a while coming’.
Speaking out: Holly Asser (right), one of Roxy Jacenko’s (left) former Sweaty Betty PR ‘clones’ and her right-hand woman for five years, has broken her silence on her departure from the firm
Holly, who was answering her followers’ questions while in hotel quarantine, was asked if she was still in contact with Roxy.
‘No,’ she replied, adding a smiling emoji.
Another follower then asked, ‘Why did you leave Sweaty Betty?’ and she offered a more in-depth response.
She wrote: ‘Okay, a lot of questions on this and this is all I’ll say: I think in your career you always need to keep learning and when you feel like you’ve learned all you can in a company or role, it’s probably time to move on.’
Having her say: Publicist Holly Asser, 28, who left the Paddington-based company in late 2018, spoke about her exit in an Instagram Q&A on Sunday night
Holly then hinted there her exit from Sweaty Betty PR may not have been amicable.
She continued: ‘My departure was a little while coming and I think if you’re familiar with the company, you might know why my friends and I decided to move on.’
Holly’s reference to her friends leaving the company at about the same time aligns with two staff departures in early 2019: Grace Garrick and Daniel Goldstein.
During her tenure at Sweaty Betty PR, Holly was one of several attractive blonde staffers described in the press as ‘clones’ of Roxy.
Her senior position and close friendship with her boss earned her the status of ‘chief clone’.
Roxy, 40, responded to her ex-employee’s claims on Monday, telling Daily Mail Australia: ‘It’s been three years since she was employed by me and she’s still not moved on. Must be missing me to still be talking about it!
‘Blows my mind how childish a person can be. She wanted a reaction and knew if she used my name she would get it, which she did.’
Holly still works in public relations in Sydney and is employed by Edelman, the largest public relations firm in the world by revenue.
Roxy’s war of words with her former staffer comes after her rumoured rift with another longtime friend, millionaire socialite Francesca Packer.
As reported by The Sun-Herald earlier this month, the pair recently ‘abruptly parted company, both professionally and personally’.
This was supposedly why Roxy hadn’t attended Francesca’s star-studded 26th birthday party on Sydney Harbour on November 29.
But Roxy later denied there was any bad blood between the two women, telling Daily Mail Australia on December 11: ‘There is no feud. She’s a lovely girl, and I’ve been around her since she was 20 years of age.’
She explained that she hadn’t been at Francesca’s party because she was busy running her seven businesses and taking care of her two children, Pixie and Hunter.
Francesca, who is the granddaughter of late media mogul Kerry Packer, hired Roxy to handle her growing media profile in 2014.
The pair, who share a mutual love for designer handbags and flash cars, soon became inseparable, so it was surprising when their ‘feud’ made headlines last week.
The rift rumour emerged as Roxy was recovering from her recent falling out with her former friend and client Candice Warner.
She ended their friendship acrimoniously after the cricket WAG punched her as part of a challenge while filming SAS Australia in July.