PublicPolicyAsia Advisors Pte. Ltd., a boutique strategic and business advisory firm has been launched in Singapore.

Pushpanathan Sundram, a seasoned government and market access professional, will head the company as its chief executive officer. He was previously the deputy secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2009-11 and is recognized as one of the architects of the ASEAN Economic Community that was established in 2015. He served the ASEAN Secretariat for 16 years in various senior assignments. He was also the managing director for Asia Pacific of the European Advisory Services (EAS), a regulatory and government affairs consultancy, from 2012 to 2015 and the regional director for market access and government affairs in Elanco from 2015 to 2019.

Pushpanathan noted that the global economy has become more fractured with the protracted U.S.-China trade tensions, developments in Europe and the nationalistic policies adopted by some Asian governments. At the same time, recent trade pacts will see a realignment of supply chains in Asia Pacific, causing further changes to global trade patterns. Businesses are adjusting to these developments and will need to adapt to the changing policies and regulations as well as the sensitivities in Asia to conduct their business successfully in a more competitive world.

In this light, he shared the optimism that PublicPolicyAsiaAdvisors is uniquely staffed to assist businesses and trade associations to navigate Asia, in particular emerging Asia, by providing critical market information and developing actionable strategies and implementing plans -- all for operating profitably in compliance with the local requirements. He said since the consultancy will work with the entire chain of the policy-making process, industry and academia, it will be able to engage the right stakeholders to help address business issues and find appropriate solutions.

Senior advisor Dennis Erpelding will support Pushpanathan and the team of advisors with global expertise, international experience and a local presence. Erpelding has more than 30 years’ experience in global market access and public policy while based in the U.S. and Asia. Collectively, they would cover the areas of food and agriculture, feed, livestock, animal health, pharmaceuticals, health supplements, telecommunication, e-commerce and trade, among others.

Erpelding noted that the consultancy is uniquely positioned to contribute to shaping policies and regulations in Asia to meet international standards and best practices due to its extensive stakeholder network and expertise in key sectors. He added that the company is committed to providing a one-stop business center for multinational companies, small and medium enterprises and startups with the assistance of its collaborative partners in legal, company secretarial, web design, human resources and executive search.

The company will focus on Asia, especially the emerging Asian economies of China, India, South Korea, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. It will also cover other ASEAN economies such as Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Brunei and Singapore. The core services provided by the company will be research intelligence, government affairs, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance and advocacy, issues/crisis management, strategic communication, trade association management, research and publication and customized training.