In early 2007, the firm formed a new business unit, ACG Corporate Advisory (ACA), which works directly alongside Allen Consulting to provide further corporate advisory services. ACA advises in the areas of corporate strategy and business planning, corporate governance, project feasibility and project funding, investor relations, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and risk management. The unit also provides independent reports, valuations, transactional analysis and management services, and capital management services.

Under the Allen umbrella

Not simply content to manage its own services, Allen Consulting also oversees and is associated with a number of advisory boards. In 2007, the firm took the reins of the Asia-Pacific Emissions Trading Forum (AETF), a group focused on providing a source of information and analysis on environmental policies and related issues. Formerly known as the Australasian Emissions Trading Forum, the AETF is chaired by Allen Consulting senior associate Tony Beck, with director Brett Janissen serving as the forum's executive manager.

Through events, quarterly roundtable discussions, an online knowledge center and a bimonthly newsletter, the AETF aims to provide a business platform for neutral debate and education on environmental issues. Allen Consulting directly provides climate change and emissions advisory services through the AETF, and has worked with some big-name clients such as BHP Billiton, Orica, Point Carbon and the Sydney Futures Exchange.

Rubbing elbows with giants

The firm also supplies administrative support to the Centre for Corporate Public Affairs, a professional research and development organization established in 1990 that operates across the Asia Pacific region, focused on corporate public affairs. Symposiums and workshops are organized to promote professional development, and the organization focuses on other areas including corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship; government, media and shareholder relations; internal communication; and reputation management.

The 120-plus members of the organization are a who's who of major global and Australia-based industry titans across a diverse range of sectors. This includes energy/oil/mining giants such as BHP Billiton, BP, Caltex, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Rio Tinto and Shell; financial services firms, including the big five Australian banks (ANZ, Commonwealth, Macquarie, NAB and Westpac) as well as global giants Citigroup, MetLife, Suncorp and Visa; pharmaceutical heavyweights like Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi-Aventis; food & beverage titans Coca-Cola, Kraft, McDonald's and Nestle; and other massive global conglomerates such as EDS, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Mitsui and Unilever.

In addition to a number of special interest groups that represent industries such as accounting, mining and ICT, Australian government bodies (at both the national and state levels) are part of the organization, including the Australia Post, the Australian Food and Grocery Council, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, and the Australian Tourist Commission.