Our Team - Pyne & Partners

Sarah Niall

Partner

Sarah has come to Pyne & Partners with a wealth of government and non-government experience. Most recently as part of the current Federal Government as Senior Adviser to the Minister for Local Government, Regional Development and Territories, Hon. Kirsty McBain.

Prior to that, Sarah held senior roles within the ACT Government as a Senior Adviser to Chris Steel MLA.

Sarah also has a strong background in media advising, having worked for the Assistant Minister for Defence, Hon Mike Kelly.

Sarah has a Bachelor’s in Arts (History/Law) and Bachelor of Teaching (High School).

As a Canberra local, Sarah is well versed in the mechanics of all levels of government and is looking forward to working with new and existing clients.

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Will Clancy

Partner

Will has specialised in providing high-level strategic advice to Ministers and government agencies on the implementation and management of complex political, international policy, communications and stakeholder engagement issues.

As an experienced political adviser, Will has a wealth of policy development, communications and campaign experience following a range of roles with senior cabinet Ministers during the Gillard Labor Government and in Opposition.

For the past 8 years, Will has provided strategic advice on communications, stakeholder engagement and policy matters for Defence, the Department of Finance, the Murray-Darling Basin Policy Reform Taskforce and most recently for the Department of Social Services.

Based in Melbourne, Will is passionate about achieving outcomes and advancing progressive public policy through grass-roots engagement and effective communication particularly in the defence, agriculture and social policy portfolios.

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Raph Lipshut

ASSOCIATE

After successfully completing Pyne & Partners’ first internship program in Melbourne, Raph has brought his strong communication and research skills to assist clients in achieving business outcomes.

Raph completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne in 2023 with a Major in Anthropology.

Through his studies, he has cultivated an understanding of human diversity, translating to an ability to build productive relationships with clients and the Government.

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Jack De Hennin

Senior Associate

Jack is our Senior Associate who is leading our operations in the United Kingdom.

Jack’s experience in Australian politics, and work with corporate Australia and international clients means he can effectively service your needs as a UK company in Australia, or an Australian company in the UK.

Jack joined Pyne & Partners in 2021 and worked from our Canberra and Sydney offices, where he proved an effective operator with Federal and State Governments.

He has strong experience working with clients in defence and cyber sectors.

Jack was recently posted to Paris to work with a suite of French clients on their engagement in Australia.

He is passionate about clients realising their vision and working quickly to help them achieve it.

Pyne & Partners stands ready to serve you from the UK.

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Alexandra Longinidis

Senior Associate

Alexandra Longinidis combines her analytical and research background to help clients build strong partnerships between their business, the Government and broader community.

Before joining Pyne & Partners in 2021, Alexandra interned at the Hunt Laboratory for Intelligence Research in Melbourne, where she assisted intelligence organisations to improve their analytical performance and productivity.

She holds a master’s degree in public policy/ management from the University of Melbourne, and a bachelor’s degree in the study of international security from the Australian National University.

Based in Adelaide, and with tertiary qualifications in public policy and international security, Alexandra is passionate about partnering with clients to achieve their desired outcomes.

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Hon Christopher Pyne

Executive Chairman

Christopher was elected to Parliament in 1993 and served as the Member for Sturt for 26 years. During this time, he was in the Liberal Party Leadership Group for 10 years, Leader of the House of Representatives for six years, and served in Cabinet for six years.

Christopher was a Minister in the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison Governments, holding the portfolios of Ageing, Education, Industry Innovation and Science, Defence Industry and Defence.

He was three times named in the top ten of the Australian Financial Review Magazine’s Power List – in 2012, 2013 and 2016.

Christopher Pyne served as the 54th Australian Defence Minister. He was responsible for delivering a $200 billion build-up of Australia’s military capability, the largest in Australia’s peacetime history. He challenged the Defence bureaucracy, driving a focus on Australian industry engagement, developing and implementing Australia’s Defence Export Strategy, Defence Industrial Capability Plan, and the Naval Shipbuilding Plan.

He also pushed hard to engage internationally, helping to create the Pacific Step Up to strengthen Australia’s strategic role in the South Pacific and settling Defence Memoranda of Understanding with Israel, China, and Switzerland, whilst initiating Memoranda of Understanding with the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Throughout this, as a member of the Government’s leadership team, he played an active role in Cabinet and in public fora advocating for causes and issues more broadly and influencing the Government’s strategy and messages of the day.

Upon leaving Government Christopher founded Pyne & Partners, combining his expertise and insights with those of his team to deliver outcomes for clients from all sectors of the economy. Now the fourth largest government relations firm in Australia by number of clients, and the only fully Australian-owned one, Christopher and his team have delivered outcomes for business as diverse as L’Oreal, the BCA, and Google. With offices in London, Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and in his home of Adelaide, the Pyne & Partners team is on the ground with you.

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Ron Beevor

ASSOCIATE

Ron has experience in legal research, economic analysis and strategic writing.
He offers a critical set of skills to deliver prudent insight and form to help clients engage productively with the Government and the broader economy.

Prior to joining Pyne & Partners, Adelaide in 2024, Ron worked as a Legal Associate at the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, where he conducted research on the efficiency and reach of the judicial system.

Ron holds a bachelor’s in economics and is currently completing his studies in law.

A proud South Australian, Ron is particularly passionate about defence, space operations and primary industry and is dedicated to pursuing Government in the best interests of his clients.

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Tom Webster Arbizu

ASSOCIATE

Tom combines experience in research, energy and stakeholder engagement to create meaningful connections between Government, business, and the community.

Tom held previous positions as a paralegal in commercial law and various positions in environmental advocacy, ethical investing and energy consulting.

Based in Canberra, Tom currently studies a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at the Australian National University. This study develops his expertise in legal and regulatory issues.

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BAKER DONELSON

STRATEGIC PARTNER

Pyne & Partners and American government relations firm Baker Donelson are pleased to announce a strategic alliance to capitalise on the recent AUKUS Defence Agreement, further strengthening ties between Australia and the United States.

This collaboration brings together the expertise and resources of both organisations to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape, enhance cross-border cooperation, and support the mutual interests of clients in both countries.

Clients of Pyne & Partners are able to draw upon the expertise of Baker Donelson to advance their interests in the United States.

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Stuart Crosbie

Senior Associate

Stuart Crosbie combines his experience in research and political analysis to help clients build strong partnerships between Government, business and the broader community.

Prior to joining Pyne & Partners in 2022, Stuart worked as an Associate for political consulting firm Sentio Group, where he assisted with consulting and data analytics, working with corporate clients and on political campaigns abroad. This adds to his experience in a Sydney-based law firm where he worked with a number of corporate clients.

Based in Sydney, Stuart enjoys bringing his analytical insights to bear on client challenges to deliver outcomes.

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ROSIE O’LEARY

Senior Associate

Rosie O’Leary combines research and client relations experience with a strong passion for politics to help businesses form long term relationships with Government.

Rosie has previously worked in the business space, and prior to joining Pyne & Partners she worked as a paralegal at a technology firm, specialising in front-end breach prevention.

Based in Canberra, Rosie is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Politics and International Relations/Bachelor of Laws at the University of Canberra. This provides Rosie with relevant, contemporary knowledge to best assist clients.

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Ali Almond

Senior Associate

Ali Almond is the Pyne & Partners lead in Queensland.

Ali is an experienced strategic and media advisor to high-profile parliamentarians such as the Hon Bob Katter MP in Australia, and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Winston Peters.

Ali has also worked with state and federal agencies managing interactions with parliamentarians and developing and delivering major communications strategies and profile-raising campaigns.

Additionally, Ali has a background in the Western Australian resources sector and journalism covering the Pacific Island region.

Furthermore, Ali is an internationally award-nominated podcast producer for ABC.

Based in Brisbane, Ali brings a reputation for trusted and effective advocacy, with a real eye for achieving outcomes.

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Andrew Joyce

Partner

Andrew Joyce has worked across Government, the Australian Public Service, and in government affairs in a variety of advisory and leadership positions over the last 20+ years, including as a senior adviser, Chief-of-Staff and a senior executive in both the public service and private industry.

Andrew brings extensive knowledge and experience in the Australian Government and working with foreign governments through his work in the Attorney-General’s, Defence, Foreign Affairs & Trade, Immigration, Industry, Prime Minister & Cabinet and Treasury portfolios.

Andrew’s private industry experience includes various administrative, operational and government relations roles in the defence, finance and insurance, hospitality, international education and ICT sectors.

Based in Canberra, Andrew’s broad experience stands him in good stead for balancing the various challenges of navigating the interfaces between business and government.

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JOHN BATHGATE

SPECIAL COUNSEL

John worked in the government and defence sectors for over two decades before shifting his focus to his true passion: storytelling.

As an Army officer he led and inspired soldiers on operations in Afghanistan and East Timor, serving as a paratrooper in both Australia and the United Kingdom.

As a senior ministerial adviser in the Defence, Defence Industry and Innovation portfolios he provided strategic policy advice and crafted Ministerial speeches for a variety of audiences, helping talk about complex problems in a way that could be understood more generally.

At McKinsey & Company he worked with clients in the defence, education, oil and gas and banking sectors to use data-driven analyses to solve some of their most complex problems.

Based in Sydney, John brings these skills to Pyne & Partners as a Special Counsel, focussing on bringing stories to life in longer written formats like speeches, blog posts and articles.

Contact John

Baker Donelson

Strategic Partner

Pyne & Partners and American government relations firm Baker Donelson are pleased to announce a strategic alliance to capitalise on the recent AUKUS Defence Agreement, further strengthening ties between Australia and the United States.

This collaboration brings together the expertise and resources of both organisations to navigate the complex geopolitical landscape, enhance cross-border cooperation, and support the mutual interests of clients in both countries.

Clients of Pyne & Partners are able to draw upon the expertise of Baker Donaldson to advance their interests in the United States.

Gemma Iafrate

Executive Assistant to the Chairman

Gemma Iafrate was appointed as the Hon Christopher Pyne’s Executive Assistant in 2021, from the office of Ms Jennifer Westacott AO at the Business Council of Australia.

Based in Canberra, Gemma previously worked with Christopher when she was Executive Assistant to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and while working in the Howard Government for a federal Senator.

Contact Gemma

Tony Hodges

Partner

Tony Hodges brings almost two decades of senior level government, policy and communications experience to Pyne and Partners.

He previously worked as a Media Adviser for Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, and was a Senior Adviser to Chief Minister Andrew Barr on economic development and regulatory reform.

More recently, he has been a senior adviser to several senior members of the Labor front bench, including Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Minister for Indigenous Affairs Linda Burney.

Based in Canberra, Tony has an extensive and productive network of working relationships across government, and a reputation for spirited and effective advocacy.

Contact Tony

Speech and copy writing

Sharing your message with an audience is one of the most important ways to deliver impact, and often the best way to do that is through storytelling. Partnering with our Special Counsel, we offer longer-form narrative communications like speeches, ghost-written articles or opinion pieces, and blog posts. Working with you to understand your audience, desired messages and to find out the real story behind your business we will craft a narrative that delivers impact and fits within your overall plan of engagement.

Media issues management and training

Having the right message to deliver to the media is only half the challenge; how you deliver it and who you deliver it to is key to getting your message across. The Pyne & Partners team have decades of experience working with the media and crafting media messages. Our relationships with Australia’s leading journalists are second to none.

Pyne & Partners provides our clients with hands support for their media engagements including assistance with drafting media releases or opinion pieces, arranging interviews or coordinating media events, or perhaps providing a steady hand to assist in managing your communications during a crisis. The Pyne & Partners media team has done it all.

Using our decades of experience, Pyne & Partners has developed an intensive practical media training program to train executives in media performance. We’ll sharpen your performance, get you camera ready, and make sure you stay on message.

Networking and events management

At Pyne & Partners, we know that business isn’t just what’s on the public record. It happens between the meetings, on the sidelines, and in what is left unsaid. You can’t sit behind a computer and wait for the tender notice, send a cold outreach email or hope the phone rings.

With decades of experience in government, we work with you to build the networks and relationships you will need to deliver on your strategic outcomes.

We’ll develop a targeted engagement plan, identifying the decision-makers and influencers in your space, and find a way to connect with them. Where it suits, we will create bespoke events for you, crafting professional engagements that achieve your desired outcomes.

Whether it’s an exclusive client dinner, industry drinks or coffee on the sidelines of a conference with a key influencer, we take a hands-on approach to put you in the right place at the right time to make sure you can achieve your goals.

Government Engagement

The political and government landscape in Australia is complex, with different parties, independents, States, and levels of government. We know it because we’ve done it.

No one understands the Australian political landscape better than Pyne & Partners: our team brings deep expertise and experience with jurisdictions across the country.

Our team provides strategic and practical advice on attaining the best outcomes for our clients.
We help you determine what you want from government, who to ask, when in the political cycle to ask, and how best to position that ask to achieve the outcome you desire and your business needs. We’ll help you prepare your pitch and watch you shine.

Strategic Advice

Developing a long-term strategy for your business is not easy. We help shine a light through the darkness, finding a path through the key issues and barriers to your success, and developing a bespoke strategy to meet your needs.

We identify and analyse the issues, providing advice and analysis on the relevant issues.

We will identify government funding and corporate partnership opportunities, and help you put your best foot forward to achieve them.

We draw on our deep networks across industry and government to bring insights and knowledge you won’t find anywhere else to inform that strategy.

We’re then by your side as we implement together: in the room as you meet, reviewing each step, finding the way forward. Your success is our success.

Strategic Communications and campaigns

In a world becoming increasingly interconnected, the role of strategic and effective communications is vital to organisations looking to manage complex issues or distinguish themselves from their competitors.

With decades of experience in media and issues management, Pyne & Partners can deploy the most effective communications strategies and cut-through messaging.

Communications are always at the forefront of our work, and we tailor our advice to meet the unique and specific needs of each client.

Over the past two decades, our team have built strong and productive networks across the public and private sectors, in Australia and around the world and we draw on those relationships to achieve the best outcomes.

At Pyne & Partners we partner with our clients to develop and implement an engagement strategy to help them communicate their message through the appropriate channels, bringing together different forms of messaging to create a cut-through campaign for change.

Public Affairs

Over the past two decades, our team have built strong and productive networks across the public and private sectors, in Australia and around the world.

Our team is well connected with decision-makers and corporate influencers and draws on those relationships to achieve the best outcomes.

At Pyne & Partners we partner with our clients to develop and implement an engagement strategy to help them communicate their message through the appropriate channels.

Partners in your business

TEAMWORK BUILDS TRUST

MEET OUR TEAM

HON CHRISTOPHER PYNE

Tony Hodges

Sarah Niall

Andrew Joyce

Will Clancy

Gemma Iafrate

Ali Almond

Jack De Hennin

Alexandra Longinidis

Stuart Crosbie

ROSIE O’LEARY

JOHN BATHGATE

Tom Webster Arbizu

Raph Lipshut

Ron Beevor

BAKER DONELSON