diff --git a/addons/bus/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js b/addons/bus/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js
index fb497076d95..3c660d3d035 100644
--- a/addons/bus/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js
+++ b/addons/bus/static/tests/helpers/model_definitions_setup.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ addModelNamesToFetch([
 
 insertModelFields("res.partner", {
     description: { string: "description", type: "text" },
+    is_company: { default: () => false },
 });
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/addons/im_livechat/tests/test_message.py b/addons/im_livechat/tests/test_message.py
index 8e9e8d204be..8f37f037633 100644
--- a/addons/im_livechat/tests/test_message.py
+++ b/addons/im_livechat/tests/test_message.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class TestImLivechatMessage(HttpCase):
             'attachment_ids': [],
             'author': {
                 'id': self.users[1].partner_id.id,
+                'is_company': self.users[1].partner_id.is_company,
                 'name': "test1",
             },
             'body': message.body,
diff --git a/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py b/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
index 08166eb11f5..2742fb954f3 100644
--- a/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
+++ b/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
@@ -878,6 +878,7 @@ class Message(models.Model):
             message_sudo = self.browse(vals['id']).sudo().with_prefetch(self.ids)
             author = {
                 'id': message_sudo.author_id.id,
+                'is_company': message_sudo.author_id.is_company,
                 'name': message_sudo.author_id.name,
             } if message_sudo.author_id else [('clear',)]
             guestAuthor = {
diff --git a/addons/mail/models/res_partner.py b/addons/mail/models/res_partner.py
index 991346d0e8a..8f9cffe8f55 100644
--- a/addons/mail/models/res_partner.py
+++ b/addons/mail/models/res_partner.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class Partner(models.Model):
     def mail_partner_format(self, fields=None):
         partners_format = dict()
         if not fields:
-            fields = {'id': True, 'name': True, 'email': True, 'active': True, 'im_status': True, 'user': {}}
+            fields = {'id': True, 'name': True, 'email': True, 'active': True, 'im_status': True, 'is_company': True, 'user': {}}
         for partner in self:
             data = {}
             if 'id' in fields:
@@ -229,6 +229,8 @@ class Partner(models.Model):
                 data['active'] = partner.active
             if 'im_status' in fields:
                 data['im_status'] = partner.im_status
+            if 'is_company' in fields:
+                data['is_company'] = partner.is_company
             if 'user' in fields:
                 internal_users = partner.user_ids - partner.user_ids.filtered('share')
                 main_user = internal_users[0] if len(internal_users) > 0 else partner.user_ids[0] if len(partner.user_ids) > 0 else self.env['res.users']
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.js b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.js
index 5384d243bdd..3649f756ab7 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.js
@@ -164,6 +164,13 @@ export class Message extends Component {
         };
     }
 
+    get authorAvatarAttClass() {
+        return {
+            o_object_fit_contain: this.props.message.author?.is_company,
+            o_object_fit_cover: !this.props.message.author?.is_company,
+        };
+    }
+
     get authorAvatarUrl() {
         if (
             this.message.type === "email" &&
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.xml
index 822b210728a..79b6b7b37ef 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/message.xml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
                 <div class="o-mail-Message-core position-relative d-flex flex-shrink-0">
                     <div class="o-mail-Message-sidebar d-flex flex-shrink-0" t-att-class="{ 'justify-content-end': isAlignedRight and !props.squashed, 'align-items-center justify-content-center': props.squashed }">
                         <div t-if="!props.squashed" class="o-mail-Message-avatarContainer position-relative bg-view">
-                            <img class="o-mail-Message-avatar w-100 h-100 rounded o_object_fit_cover" t-att-src="authorAvatarUrl"/>
+                            <img class="o-mail-Message-avatar w-100 h-100 rounded" t-att-src="authorAvatarUrl" t-att-class="authorAvatarAttClass"/>
                         </div>
                         <t t-elif="!message.isTransient">
                             <small t-if="isActive" class="o-mail-Message-date text-muted opacity-50 ms-2">
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_model.js b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_model.js
index b9a93a3363f..583a9badafb 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_model.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_model.js
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ export class Persona extends Record {
     localId;
     /** @type {number} */
     id;
+    /** @type {boolean | undefined} */
+    is_company;
     /** @type {'partner' | 'guest'} */
     type;
     /** @type {string} */
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_service.js b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_service.js
index ea18cff4b8a..e71bbd41c68 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_service.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/persona_service.js
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import { Persona } from "@mail/core/common/persona_model";
 import { assignDefined, createLocalId, nullifyClearCommands } from "@mail/utils/common/misc";
 
 import { registry } from "@web/core/registry";
+import { useSequential } from "@mail/utils/common/hooks";
+import { markRaw } from "@odoo/owl";
 
 export const DEFAULT_AVATAR = "/mail/static/src/img/smiley/avatar.jpg";
 
@@ -19,8 +21,15 @@ export class PersonaService {
     setup(env, services) {
         this.env = env;
         this.rpc = services.rpc;
+        this.orm = services.orm;
         /** @type {import("@mail/core/common/store_service").Store} */
         this.store = services["mail.store"];
+        this.sequential = useSequential();
+        /** Queue used for handling sequential of fetching is_company of persona */
+        this._sQueue = markRaw({
+            /** @type {Set<number>} */
+            todo: new Set(),
+        });
     }
 
     async updateGuestName(guest, name) {
@@ -61,6 +70,44 @@ export class PersonaService {
         }
     }
 
+    async fetchIsCompany(persona) {
+        if (persona.type !== "partner") {
+            // non-partner persona are always considered as not a company
+            persona.is_company = false;
+            return;
+        }
+        this._sQueue.todo.add(persona.id);
+        await new Promise(setTimeout); // group synchronous request to fetch is_company
+        await this.sequential(async () => {
+            const ongoing = new Set();
+            if (this._sQueue.todo.size === 0) {
+                return;
+            }
+            // load 'todo' into 'ongoing'
+            this._sQueue.todo.forEach((id) => ongoing.add(id));
+            this._sQueue.todo.clear();
+            // fetch is_company
+            const partnerData = await this.orm.silent.read(
+                "res.partner",
+                [...ongoing],
+                ["is_company"],
+                {
+                    context: { active_test: false },
+                }
+            );
+            for (const { id, is_company } of partnerData) {
+                this.insert({ id, is_company, type: "partner" });
+                ongoing.delete(id);
+                this._sQueue.todo.delete(id);
+            }
+            for (const id of ongoing) {
+                // no is_company found => assumes persona is not a company
+                this.insert({ id, is_company: false, type: "partner" });
+                this._sQueue.todo.delete(id);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
     /**
      * List of known partner ids with a direct chat, ordered
      * by most recent interest (1st item being the most recent)
@@ -87,7 +134,7 @@ export class PersonaService {
 }
 
 export const personaService = {
-    dependencies: ["rpc", "mail.store"],
+    dependencies: ["orm", "rpc", "mail.store"],
     /**
      * @param {import("@web/env").OdooEnv} env
      * @param {Partial<import("services").Services>} services
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/thread_service.js b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/thread_service.js
index 5841839dcd0..4219f75f69d 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/thread_service.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/common/thread_service.js
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export class ThreadService {
         this.router = services.router;
         this.ui = services.ui;
         this.messageService = services["mail.message"];
+        this.personaService = services["mail.persona"];
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1085,6 +1086,9 @@ export class ThreadService {
         if (!persona) {
             return DEFAULT_AVATAR;
         }
+        if (persona.is_company === undefined) {
+            this.personaService.fetchIsCompany(persona);
+        }
         if (thread?.model === "discuss.channel") {
             if (persona.type === "partner") {
                 return url(`/discuss/channel/${thread.id}/partner/${persona.id}/avatar_128`);
@@ -1148,7 +1152,16 @@ export class ThreadService {
 }
 
 export const threadService = {
-    dependencies: ["mail.store", "orm", "rpc", "notification", "router", "mail.message", "ui"],
+    dependencies: [
+        "mail.store",
+        "orm",
+        "rpc",
+        "notification",
+        "router",
+        "mail.message",
+        "mail.persona",
+        "ui",
+    ],
     /**
      * @param {import("@web/env").OdooEnv} env
      * @param {Partial<import("services").Services>} services
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.js b/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.js
index 2b6cb290b18..00fb0f7fe6e 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.js
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ patch(Message.prototype, {
         this.userService = useService("user");
         this.messaging = useState(useService("mail.messaging"));
     },
+    get authorAvatarAttClass() {
+        return {
+            ...super.authorAvatarAttClass,
+            "o_redirect cursor-pointer": this.hasAuthorClickable,
+        };
+    },
     getAuthorText() {
         return this.hasAuthorClickable() ? _t("Open profile") : undefined;
     },
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.xml
index b585c30687a..5790fd51ead 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/core/web/message_patch.xml
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
             <attribute name="t-on-click">ev => this.onClickAuthor(ev)</attribute>
         </xpath>
         <xpath expr="//span[hasclass('o-mail-Message-author')]" position="attributes">
-            <attribute name="t-att-class">{ 'cursor-pointer': hasAuthorClickable() }</attribute>
             <attribute name="t-att-title">getAuthorText()</attribute>
             <attribute name="t-on-click">ev => this.onClickAuthor(ev)</attribute>
         </xpath>
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/mail_message.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/mail_message.js
index 69c646e0db3..0d5fb285419 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/mail_message.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/mail_message.js
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ patch(MockServer.prototype, {
                 });
                 formattedAuthor = {
                     id: author.id,
+                    is_company: author.is_company,
                     name: author.name,
                 };
             } else {
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/res_partner.js b/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/res_partner.js
index 0b6e60fbbd1..d49c42a9adb 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/res_partner.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/tests/helpers/mock_server/models/res_partner.js
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ patch(MockServer.prototype, {
                         email: partner.email,
                         id: partner.id,
                         im_status: partner.im_status,
+                        is_company: partner.is_company,
                         name: partner.name,
                         user: mainUser
                             ? {
diff --git a/addons/test_discuss_full/tests/test_performance.py b/addons/test_discuss_full/tests/test_performance.py
index acf1d4deb44..fd164000022 100644
--- a/addons/test_discuss_full/tests/test_performance.py
+++ b/addons/test_discuss_full/tests/test_performance.py
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                     'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                     'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                     'im_status': 'online',
+                                    'is_company': False,
                                     'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                     'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                     'user': {
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                     'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                     'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                     'im_status': 'online',
+                                    'is_company': False,
                                     'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                     'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                     'user': {
@@ -246,6 +248,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                     'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                     'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                     'im_status': 'online',
+                                    'is_company': False,
                                     'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                     'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                     'user': {
@@ -296,6 +299,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                     'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                     'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                     'im_status': 'online',
+                                    'is_company': False,
                                     'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                     'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                     'user': {
@@ -346,6 +350,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                     'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                     'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                     'im_status': 'online',
+                                    'is_company': False,
                                     'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                     'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                     'user': {
@@ -397,6 +402,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                         'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'online',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -417,6 +423,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': False,
                                         'id': self.users[12].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'offline',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'test12',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -483,6 +490,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                         'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'online',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -503,6 +511,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': False,
                                         'id': self.users[14].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'offline',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'test14',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -569,6 +578,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                         'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'online',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -589,6 +599,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': False,
                                         'id': self.users[15].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'offline',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'test15',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -655,6 +666,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                         'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'online',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -675,6 +687,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': 'test2@example.com',
                                         'id': self.users[2].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'offline',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'test2',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -741,6 +754,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                                         'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'online',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -761,6 +775,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                                         'email': False,
                                         'id': self.users[3].partner_id.id,
                                         'im_status': 'offline',
+                                        'is_company': False,
                                         'name': 'test3',
                                         'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                                         'user': {
@@ -998,6 +1013,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                 'email': 'odoobot@example.com',
                 'id': self.user_root.partner_id.id,
                 'im_status': 'bot',
+                'is_company': False,
                 'name': 'OdooBot',
                 'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                 'user': [('clear',)],
@@ -1008,6 +1024,7 @@ class TestDiscussFullPerformance(HttpCase):
                 'email': 'e.e@example.com',
                 'id': self.users[0].partner_id.id,
                 'im_status': 'online',
+                'is_company': False,
                 'name': 'Ernest Employee',
                 'out_of_office_date_end': False,
                 'user': {
diff --git a/addons/web/static/src/legacy/scss/ui.scss b/addons/web/static/src/legacy/scss/ui.scss
index c5410a0cf91..812b36a0d39 100644
--- a/addons/web/static/src/legacy/scss/ui.scss
+++ b/addons/web/static/src/legacy/scss/ui.scss
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ span.o_force_ltr {
     object-fit: cover;
 }
 
+.o_object_fit_contain {
+    object-fit: contain;
+}
+
 .o_image_24_cover {
     width: 24px;
     height: 24px;