CMAX Advisory
CMAX Advisory is an Australian, privately held strategic communications, bipartisan government relations, and corporate strategy firm headquartered in Canberra, serving enterprise and government clients with a concentration in defence, national security, and health/medical technology. It delivers human-led advisory services leveraging a senior bench of former ministers and defence officials.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAustralian Capital Territory, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CMAX Advisory does
CMAX Advisory is an Australian, privately held strategic communications, bipartisan government relations, and corporate strategy firm founded in 2009 and headquartered in Canberra, with additional offices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. The firm serves enterprise and government clients navigating Australia's political, regulatory and media landscape, with a particular concentration in defence and national security, alongside health and medical technology, agriculture, fintech, and renewable energy. Core service offerings are organised into three pillars: Strategic Communications (media and reputation management, digital marketing, creative brand development, campaign and event management), Government Relations (political analysis, bipartisan stakeholder engagement, market positioning), and Corporate Strategy (organisational development, change management, business development, corporate social responsibility). The firm does not develop proprietary technology products; its deliverables are human-delivered advisory services produced by a senior team of former ministers, defence officials, intelligence leaders, and Special Counsels.
Revenue is generated through project-based engagements and ongoing retainer arrangements with corporate and government clients. The firm markets on the strength of its bipartisan networks and the seniority of its bench, including former Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon, former ASD Director General Rachel Noble PSM, and former Deputy Chief of Air Force Neil Hart AM as Special Counsels, with Tyson Sara serving as CEO and Christian Taubenschlag as Founder and Chairman. Named clients include EOS, Stryker, SYPAQ, and Northrop Grumman in the commercial segment, and Soldier On, Fortem Australia and The Hands of Rescue Foundation on a pro-bono basis. The firm is privately held by the Taubenschlag family, with no evidence of external institutional investment, and operates under a published code of ethics aligned with the Australian Government's Lobbying Code of Conduct.
CMAX Advisory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CMAX Advisory
- Legal name
- CMAX Advisory
- Website
- https://cmaxadvisory.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CMAX Advisory is an Australian, privately held strategic communications, bipartisan government relations, and corporate strategy firm headquartered in Canberra, serving enterprise and government clients with a concentration in defence, national security, and health/medical technology. It delivers human-led advisory services leveraging a senior bench of former ministers and defence officials.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CMAX Advisory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Government Relations and Public Affairs Advisory
- NAICS
- Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Public Relations Agencies (541820)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs) (BPAHAOAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Regulatory Change Management (RCM) (HDADAIAG)
Keywords
Where CMAX Advisory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Australian Capital Territory
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices4 records
Markets served
CMAX Advisory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Strategic Communications Services: Advisory services encompassing media engagement, reputation management, digital marketing, creative services, and campaign/event management. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements and ongoing retainer arrangements with corporate and government clients.
- Government Relations Services: Political analysis, stakeholder engagement, and market positioning services for clients seeking to influence government policy and decision-making. Bipartisan relationships with decision-makers at all levels of Australian government.
- Corporate Strategy Services: Organisational strategy development, business development support, change management consulting, and corporate social responsibility advisory. Services provided to support international growth, change management, and brand development.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
CMAX Advisory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CMAX Advisory is an Australian full-service strategic communications, bipartisan government relations and corporate strategy firm. It sells advisory services that help enterprise, government and non-profit clients navigate Australia's political and media landscapes, engage with policy and decision makers at all levels of government, develop and execute communications and stakeholder campaigns, identify and capture business opportunities, manage reputation, and mitigate corporate risks across sectors such as defence, national security, health, agriculture, fintech and renewable energy.
Product overview
CMAX Advisory is a full-service strategic communications, bipartisan government relations and corporate strategy firm operating at the intersection of government, politics, public affairs, media and business. The company offers three core service pillars: Strategic Communications (media/reputation management, digital, creative, campaigns/events), Government Relations (political analysis, stakeholder engagement, market positioning), and Corporate Strategy (organisational development, business development, change management, CSR). These services are delivered through a team of professionals and panel of Special Counsels with experience across government, defence, national security, health, agriculture, and technology sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Communications
- Government Relations
- Corporate Strategy
Quantifiable outcome
- Assisted EOS in securing $120 million export deal to Ukraine
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CMAX Advisory
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CMAX Advisory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CMAX Advisory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fortem AustraliacoreCMAX Advisory was a founding partner of Fortem Australia, supporting Australia's national security and emergency response community. Fortem is Australia's only not-for-profit community organisation specifically designed to support the country's national security and first responder community and their families.
- G'Day USAcoreCMAX Advisory was the co-creator and founding partner of the G'Day USA US-Australian Dialogue on Defence Industries in 2014. The annual event in Washington DC brings together US and Australian defence industry experts and decision makers. CMAX Advisory remains a proud partner and key sponsorship facilitator for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- The Hands of Rescue FoundationcoreCMAX Advisory has a proud philanthropic partnership with The Hands of Rescue Foundation, a charity dedicated to achieving safe motherhood for the women of Papua New Guinea. Services include advocacy, fundraising, grant development, media management, digital engagement, brand development, and short-film production.
- Soldier OncoreCMAX Advisory provides pro-bono strategic advice to Soldier On, a community organisation which supports veterans transitioning out of service into civilian life. Services include strategy development, strategic communications, media engagement, and events and campaign management.
- National Press Club of AustraliaminorCMAX Advisory has been a corporate member of the National Press Club of Australia since 2011, providing access to high-level political and media events and networking opportunities.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CMAX Advisory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sefiani Communications Group: An independent Australian public affairs and strategic communications consultancy serving corporate clients on reputation and stakeholder issues, directly comparable in size and services offered.
- Pollinate (formerly CPR Communications): An Australian strategic communications, government relations, and brand advisory firm targeting enterprise and government clients with analogous service pillars to CMAX's three core areas.
- Barton Deakin: An Australian government relations and strategic advisory firm closely comparable to CMAX in scope, serving enterprise clients on policy engagement, reputation, and federal/state navigation.
- Hawker Britton: One of Australia's largest dedicated government relations and public affairs firms with bipartisan reach across federal and state levels, directly competing for the same mandates CMAX pursues in defence, health, and major project advisory.
- SEC Newgate (now SECNewgate Australia): A leading Australian public affairs, communications, and research firm with a comparable bipartisan offering and similar client verticals, including defence, health, and financial services.
Broad incumbents
- GRACosway (WPP): An Australian strategic communications, investor relations, and corporate advisory firm offering comparable reputation and stakeholder engagement services across ASX-listed and government-aligned clients.
- Deloitte Australia — Public Sector / Defence: A Big Four advisory practice with dedicated Australian public sector, defence, and government services capabilities that competes for the same enterprise and government advisory mandates as CMAX at much larger scale.
- KPMG Australia — Public Sector: Big Four firm operating a major Australian public sector and defence consulting practice that absorbs large-scale government-facing advisory mandates competing directly with CMAX for institutional clients.
- Edelman Australia: The Australian arm of a global public relations firm offering government relations, corporate communications, and public affairs; provides CMAX with scaled competition in the same enterprise client base across defence and health.
Regional players
- Tailors Group: An Australian strategic advisory firm focused on defence, infrastructure, and government engagement with a similar boutique footprint serving enterprise clients in regulated industries.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CMAX Advisory social profiles
Digital presenceCMAX Advisory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CMAX Advisory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
CMAX Advisory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CMAX Advisory M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CMAX Advisory
What does CMAX Advisory do?
CMAX Advisory is an Australian full-service strategic communications, bipartisan government relations and corporate strategy firm. It sells advisory services that help enterprise, government and non-profit clients navigate Australia's political and media landscapes, engage with policy and decision makers at all levels of government, develop and execute communications and stakeholder campaigns, identify and capture business opportunities, manage reputation, and mitigate corporate risks across sectors such as defence, national security, health, agriculture, fintech and renewable energy.
Is CMAX Advisory a public or private company?
CMAX Advisory is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CMAX Advisory founded?
CMAX Advisory was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CMAX Advisory based?
CMAX Advisory is headquartered in Australian Capital Territory, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does CMAX Advisory make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Strategic Communications Services are the primary driver. The others are government Relations Services and corporate Strategy Services.
Who are CMAX Advisory's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sefiani Communications Group, Pollinate (formerly CPR Communications), Barton Deakin, Hawker Britton and SEC Newgate (now SECNewgate Australia). Broad incumbents are GRACosway (WPP), Deloitte Australia — Public Sector / Defence, KPMG Australia — Public Sector and Edelman Australia. Tailors Group is listed as a regional player.
Does CMAX Advisory have an API?
No public API is recorded for CMAX Advisory.
What industry is CMAX Advisory in?
CMAX Advisory's product category is Government Relations and Public Affairs Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAOAG, Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships Advisory (JVs, Alliances, Carve-outs), with a secondary code of HDADAIAG, Regulatory Change Management (RCM). Its NAICS code is 541611 and its SIC code is 8742.