Melanie is a Senior Associate in The Asia Group’s Australia practice. Based in Sydney, Melanie helps clients navigate the political, economic, and regulatory landscape across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific. Melanie draws on her experience working in the Australian government, Washington, D.C., and Southeast Asia to identify cross-market opportunities and support business expansion, market entry, and risk management in key sectors including technology, energy, and defense.
Melanie served five years across Asia-focused foreign policy and intelligence roles in the Australian government, including at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) and the Office of National Intelligence (ONI). She advised senior Australian leaders on a range of issues, from countering foreign interference in critical networks to ASEAN-Australia economic engagement. As Executive Advisor to the Director-General of National Intelligence and Coordinator of the National Security Committee, Melanie coordinated assessments informing Australia’s Indo-Pacific strategies.
Prior to joining the Australia Practice, Melanie was an Associate in TAG’s Southeast Asia Practice, where she produced in-depth analyses on market dynamics, stakeholder mapping, and regulatory risks in Indonesia and across the region. Melanie holds an MA in Asian Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a Bachelor of International Relations (First Class Honours) from the University of Queensland. She is proficient in Indonesian and has been an advocate for Asia literacy in Australia, serving as Director of the National Australia-Indonesia Language Awards. In her spare time, she enjoys surfing and making pottery.