Ballard Partners has grown from a single office in Tallahassee, Florida, into a firm with a global reach. Along with maintaining 15 US and four overseas offices, the public affairs firm has forged international partnerships through the Ballard Global Alliance.
Launched in 2024, the Ballard Global Alliance brings together like-minded government relations and public affairs firms with the goal of providing seamless cross-border advocacy to clients. The pioneering network comprises members from North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Now, thanks to its newest member, it has expanded to Australia.
That new member is TG Public Affairs. Based in Canberra and with offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth, TG Public Affairs is leading public affairs consultancy, one that has developed a powerful reputation in Australia since its inception in 1998. Through comprehensive advocacy, it aims to provide clients with a effective voice in Australia’s parliaments and bureaucracies.
TG Public Affairs is led by managing director John Brenton. A former Australian diplomat who served in the United States under Kim Beazley, Australia’s ambassador to the US, Brenton guides an experienced team of government relations consultants in providing high-level advisory and advocacy services. The recipient of a master’s degree in international relations and a bachelor’s degree in business and commerce, he maintains expertise in defense and national security, government contracts, and complex public policy, among other areas.
“Joining forces with Ballard Partners … is a pivotal moment for TG Public Affairs,” Brenton said in a statement. “This partnership significantly broadens our ability to support our clients with access to major US markets and institutions.”
Through the collaboration, TG Public Affairs will join with Ballard Partners in jointly offering public policy advocacy, regulatory affairs, risk and crisis management, international market consulting, and other services across Australia and the United States. Thanks to each firm’s regional expertise, clients will be empowered to navigate and succeed in new markets.
The partnership with TG Public Affairs not only establishes a foothold for Ballard Partners in Australia, but also strengthens its presence in the Asia–Pacific region. In October, Ballard Partners made its first foray into the region with the opening of a Honolulu office. Led by Bernice Kissinger, an experienced defense-contracting specialist whose work has spanned Australia, Japan, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea, the Honolulu office aims to concentrate on national security and military issues in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Bernice’s unparalleled experience and expertise in defense contracting and national security, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, will be an invaluable asset to our clients and our firm,” said Ballard Partners founder and president Brian Ballard. “Her strategic insights and deep understanding of the region will be invaluable to our clients.”
TG Public Affairs brings another invaluable asset to Ballard Partners. “This alliance positions us to deliver enhanced government affairs capabilities and strategic support for clients operating across the US and the dynamic Asia-Pacific market,” said Brian Ballard. “We are thrilled to partner with TG Public Affairs.”
For the Ballard Global Alliance, the partnership with TG Public Affairs continues a period of significant growth. In the last year alone, the alliance has welcomed four new members: TACT, a leading communication and public affairs firm in Canada; Esfera, a prominent Brazil-based think tank and civic organization; Global Nexus, a government and public affairs firm based in Mexico City and Washington, DC; and Forward Global, a geopolitical risk advisory and public affairs consultancy with offices in Paris, Brussels, and Washington, DC.
Together with TG Public Affairs, the Ballard Global Alliance now comprises 10 international firms, including in Japan and the Republic of Korea. Thanks to the exclusive collaboration, Ballard Partners can carefully tailor services for clients in the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere around the world, connecting them with government relations professionals who are best equipped to help them achieve their specific business goals.
