Adam Schwarz

Founder and CEO

Adam Schwarz is the Founder and CEO of Asia Group Advisors, where he counsels senior executives on business opportunities in key Southeast Asian markets and how to effectively manage political, economic, and security risks. Based in Southeast Asia since 1987, he has a deep set of relationships with business, political and civil-society leaders across the region and is considered a leading global authority on Indonesia. From 2001 to 2013, Adam worked for McKinsey & Company in Southeast Asia where he served private and public sector clients in the energy, telecom, agribusiness. and financial sectors. He advised clients on issues ranging from corporate strategy, organizational change, board governance, strategic communications, and regional economic integration. He was one of the global leaders of McKinsey’s Sustainability and Resource Productivity practice, where he supported clients on issues related to green business opportunities, renewable energy, sustainability standards, and climate change policy. Prior to joining McKinsey, Adam worked as correspondent and bureau chief in Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Vietnam for the Far Eastern Economic Review. He is considered a leading authority on the political dynamics in Southeast Asia, and is author of A Nation in Waiting, a highly acclaimed work on contemporary Indonesian history. Valued for his regional expertise and experience, he is a frequent guest speaker and commentator on regional issues. Adam has served as advisor to the United States State Department, Defense Department, the World Bank, and the Comprehensive Partnership between Indonesia and the United States. He is a member of the United States Council on Foreign Relations and the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for both the Jakarta-based Centre for Public Policy Transformation and the Washington D.C.-based U.S.-Indonesia Society. He is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, where he lectures on political, economic and security issues across Southeast Asia. Adam was awarded a Luce Scholar fellowship from the Henry Luce Foundation and was the 1997-1998 recipient of the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations. He graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and holds an MBA degree in International Business from Columbia University where he was awarded a University Fellowship for Professional Achievement.

Annisa Natalegawa

Partner and Managing Director

Annisa Natalegawa leads Asia Group Advisors’ operations across Southeast Asia. She brings in a decade of experience in public policy and a wide network in government agencies in the region, spanning multiple sectors including trade, logistics, energy, information technology, agriculture, and commodities. Her in-depth knowledge on regional trade and political dynamics has helped clients better understand investment opportunities in the region. At Asia Group Advisors, Annisa has spearheaded multiple advocacy efforts, including developing a comprehensive report and engagement strategy for promoting Indonesian sustainable palm oil; developing stakeholder maps of numerous ministries and agencies in the Indonesian and Thai governments; facilitating client engagement with the political elite and other key influencers; and authoring updates and analyses on emerging political and regulatory issues across the region. Prior to joining Asia Group Advisors, Annisa served in the Political Cooperation Division of the ASEAN Secretariat, working on various political issues with the aim of strengthening democracy, enhancing good governance and rule of law, as well as promoting and protecting human rights in the region. While at the ASEAN Secretariat, she served as a resource person and rapporteur during working group, senior official, and ministerial level meetings between ASEAN Member States. Annisa has also worked as an Assistant Program Administrator at the Australian National University and interned at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Canberra as well as the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York. Annisa holds a Master of International Law from the Australian National University and a BA in Social Anthropology from the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London.

Nattabhorn Juengsanguansit

Director, Thailand Country Representative

Nattabhorn “Ink” Juengsanguansit leads Asia Group Advisors’ operations in Thailand. Ink plays a key role in client strategic advisory and has ample experience in assisting multinational clients with market entry, issue management, and thought leadership campaigns. She has an extensive background in public affairs, crisis communications, market entry, and government relations consultancy. Ink previously led the Thai operation of a global communications advisory and advocacy firm, where she provided clients with in-depth understanding of Thailand’s social, economic, and political landscape, as well as stakeholder mapping and outreach. She is experienced in developing and implementing communication and engagement strategies for companies and industry associations in the consumer goods, automotive, and healthcare sectors, along with international NGOs. She also has significant experience managing client projects in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. Ink holds a BA in Economics from Thammasat University.

Brasukra Sudjana

Director, Indonesia Country Representative

Brasukra “Brava” Sudjana leads Asia Group Advisors’ operations in Indonesia, where he supports clients with regulatory analysis, advocacy strategy and stakeholder engagement. Prior to joining Asia Group Advisors, Brava served as a Senior Officer at the ASEAN Secretariat, where he was responsible for providing policy advisory and research support, facilitating trade negotiations, and organizing consultations on trade facilitation issues. He has also served as an Economist at the World Bank focusing on trade and competitiveness, where he managed research, capacity building, and lending projects, as well as provided strategic policy advice for the Government of Indonesia for its participation at the G20 and APEC. Brava holds a master’s degree in International Economics from Pantheon-Sorbonne University, as well as a Master of Science in Economics and Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from Southern Illinois University.

Lauren Adams

Associate Director

Lauren Adams is Associate Director for Indonesia and Southeast Asia where she leads client engagements across a number of sectors, providing political and regulatory analysis, as well as strategic advisory on advocacy and stakeholder engagement. She has over a decade of government and private sector experience. She previously worked with a public affairs firm where she was the primary on-the-ground representative advocating for regulatory changes in Indonesia. Prior to relocating to Jakarta in 2017, she worked with a global risk advisory firm in Singapore. She is a former Australian Diplomat and started her professional career as a Big 4 consultant on international trade and taxation issues. Lauren holds degrees in International Economics and Bahasa Indonesia.

Amara Buyse

Senior Associate, Malaysia and Myanmar Country Representative

Amara Buyse leads Asia Group Advisors’ operations in Malaysia and Myanmar, where she leverages her in-depth knowledge on Southeast Asia and deep network of political, business, and media in Southeast Asia and Europe. Prior to joining Asia Group Advisors, Amara worked for a strategic think tank in Malaysia, where she had daily interactions with Malaysian policymakers. She had also previously worked as a freelance consultant, for which she conducted market entry research for clients looking to enter Myanmar and Vietnam. Before moving to Asia, Amara served as a Press and Media Officer at the European Commission in Brussels, where she managed the Commission’s public reputation and conducted daily briefings to journalists. She started her career with Google in Ireland, where she first gained exposure to government relations. Amara holds a master’s degree in General Management from Vlerick Business School in Belgium, as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Art History from Ghent University in Belgium and the Sapienza University of Rome. In addition to her native Dutch, she is fluent in English, French and Italian.

Eric Rosenkranz

Non-Executive Chairman

Eric Rosenkranz is Non-Executive Chairman with Asia Group Advisors, where he supports the firm with strategic planning as well as mentorship to the CEO and other senior members. He brings over 30 years of experience in crafting strategic directions for multinational companies to grow in Asia. Rosenkranz is Founder and Chairman of e.three, a strategic advisory firm that helps organizations in Asia determine and execute their long-term plans. He specializes in helping start-ups from initial fund-raising to exit as well as in raising funding and M&A. Previously as Vice Chairman of FocusMedia China, he led the company to its successful 2005 NASDAQ listing, which at one time valued at more than USD7.5 billion. As Chairman of the Australian company Outdoor Solutions Group, he engineered a trade sale to News Corp. He also advised Hong Kong-based Cimigo in their sale to Hakuhodo in 2014, and now advises Hakuhodo in M&A activities. In November 2016, he acted as the agent who sold Myamar Vineyards to Premium Distribution. Rosenkranz currently serves as Chairman of Ambient Digital, a digital advertising agency, and Hiip, a social influencer e-marketing tool which just received Series A funding. He is a Chairman Emeritus of CWA Call Center and Senior Advisor to West Indochina Consulting focusing on Myanmar. Formerly, he was Independent Non-Executive Director of Focus Media Network Limited, listed in HKSE, and Director of Kingdom Breweries, a micro brewery in Cambodia. At marketing communications giant Grey Global Group, Eric was CEO Asia Pacific and Latin America, and Executive Vice-President Europe, Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe. Eric managed Grey’s marketing services companies and was responsible for preparing and executing long-term strategy and M&A, opening divisions offering new strategic capabilities, implementing changes in business culture, and redesigning organizational structure. Eric has an MBA from The University of Chicago and a BA in Economics from The George Washington University. He was Guest Lecturer at the University of Hong Kong; The Vlerick School of Management, University of Ghent, Belgium; and currently lectures at the Asian Campus of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in Marketing and Venture Financing, as well as at SASIN, the Thailand based MBA program linked with Chulalongkorn University.

Tran Vu Hoai

Chairman, Vietnam

Tran Vu Hoai is a renowned expert on Vietnamese politics, economics, and business environment. He holds a principal role in the management of Asia Group Advisors’ operations in Vietnam, where he leverages his deep experience in corporate affairs to provide guidance on client service strategy and represent Asia Group Advisors’ Vietnam office at the regional level. Hoai is the Co-Founder and CEO of Galaxy Communications, the largest public relations firm in Vietnam which serves major multinational technology, banking, and retail corporations. Galaxy Communications also manages Galaxy Studio, a leading media and entertainment company in Vietnam which produces and distributes movies, as well as develops and operates movie theatres. For over 15 years, Hoai served in Unilever Vietnam, with his last position being the Vice President of Corporate Affairs. He is also a founding member of the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development. Hoai received an MBA from Harvard University as one of Vietnam’s first Fulbright Scholars.

Orit Frenkel

Senior Advisor

Orit Frenkel is a global government affairs professional with deep expertise in international economic and Asia policy issues. She has years of experience working both in government and industry. She currently serves as CEO at Frenkel Strategies specializing in finding solutions for companies and governments to complex global challenges. Previously, she served at GE as Senior Manager for Global Government Affairs and Policy and was responsible for coordinating GE’s response to trade policy and regulatory issues. She started her career working in the Office of the US Trade Representative where she was the Director for Trade in High Technology Products and Deputy Director for Trade with Japan.

Ari Soemarno

Senior Advisor

Ari Soemarno is currently an independent oil and gas business consultant and President Director of PT YRRU Tunggal, a property and hospitality company. In addition, he has served as Chairman of the German-Indonesian Chamber of Industry since 2009. Mr. Soemarno previously worked at PT Pertamina, the national oil and gas company of Indonesia, as President and CEO from March 2006 until February 2009 and as Corporate Senior Vice President and Director for Marketing and Trading from 2004 until 2006. Mr. Soemarno joined PT Pertamina in 1978 as a process engineer and went on to hold various senior management positions in engineering, plant operation, project management, and marketing/trading of gas, LNG, crude oil, fuels, and petrochemicals.

Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas

Senior Advisor

Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas is Chairman of Tridaya Advisory, a consultancy group established in 2008, which focuses on corporate governance, crisis management, public policy formation, institutional transformation, and dispute resolution. He was formerly Vice Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi / KPK) of the Republic of Indonesia (2003- 2007), Commissioner of the Jakarta Stock Exchange (1998-2001), and President Director of PT Timah (1991-1994). Mr. Hardjapamekas served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of PT Bank Negara Indonesia, Chairman of the National Team of Military Business Transfer, and chairman of the Advisory Board of University of Indonesia’s Center for the Study of Governance. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics/Accounting from Padjadjaran University, Bandung and completed the Financial Management Course at Harvard Business School.

Kevin Murphy

Senior Advisor

Kevin Murphy is the Founder and Managing Director of Andaman Capital Partners, Asia Group Advisors’ partner in supporting clients who are seeking expansion, analysis, strategic partnership, and deal execution in Myanmar. Based in Yangon since 2002, Kevin brings a wealth of experience in private investment, sourcing, and funding opportunities in Myanmar. Kevin is also a Director at Proximity Designs, a social enterprise dedicated to improving livelihoods for Myanmar’s impoverished rural sector, as well as a member in the Board of Advisors at Cetena Educational Foundation, a foundation focused on improving access to higher education. He is also the Co-Founder of Post Media, publisher of the Phnom Penh Post, and the Co-Founder of Synergenz Bioscience. Before moving to Myanmar, he was a Director at Hong Kong-based The Pacific Group. Prior to his career in the private sector, Kevin was a journalist and media executive. He held senior positions at the International Herald Tribune, the South China Morning Post, and The Bulletin. He is a graduate of Georgetown University.

Ramon A. Carandang

Senior Advisor

Mr. Ramon “Ricky” A. Carandang supports Asia Group Advisors and its clients with strategic communications, regulatory advocacy, and crucial understanding of corporate and government relations in the Philippines. Mr. Carandang was appointed Secretary of Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning by President Benigno S. Aquino III in July 2010. He served as President Aquino’s chief messaging strategist until leaving government in 2013. He also joined ABS-CBN, the largest broadcast network in the Philippines, where he worked as a reporter, presenter, and commentator. During his stint in ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), he hosted his own news commentary shows The Rundown and The Big Picture. He also worked as field reporter for TV Patrol and Bandila, the largest local language news programs, as well as presenter for the current affairs program The Correspondents. Before his career in communications, Mr. Carandang spent his early years as an investment professional, working as an analyst and sales executive for various brokerage houses including Pryce Securities, HG Asia Securities, and Kim Eng Securities. Mr. Carandang is currently the chief executive officer of Ronin Consultancy Services’ (RCS). He and RCS assist Asia Group Advisors with building strategic relationships with key stakeholders and government officials and offering advisory services of on the ground developments in Philippines and beyond. Together, Asia Group Advisors is able to offer our clients unique and specialized expertise.

Bridget Welsh

Senior Advisor

Bridget Welsh is a widely-recognized expert on Malaysian politics and has deep experience in governance and development across the Southeast Asia region. She has worked as a consultant to a range of multinationa l corporations, advising on political and commercial risks in Malaysia, and has advised the World Bank and the United Nations. She is an author of several books on Malaysian politics, including her most recent book The End of UMNO: Essays on Malaysia’s Dominant Party (2016), and is a distinguished academic, having held professor positions at the Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University, Singapore Management University, and National Taiwan University. She is the Malaysia Director and Southeast Asia Coordinator of the Asian Barometer Survey Project, which gathers and analyzes public opinion data on political values and governance.

Mohamed Nawab Osman

Senior Advisor

A leading expert on Malaysia, political Islam, and terrorism in Southeast Asia, Mohamed Nawab Osman advises Asia Group Advisors and its clients on issues pertaining to Malaysian politics and society. He is an Assistant Professor with the Malaysia Program at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He also sits on the board of a number of Singapore-based organizations, including Critical Xchange and the Centre for Research in Islamic and Malay Affairs. Nawab holds a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from the Australian National University.