Building Consulting Capability Across Borders
Shared expertise, deeper market insight, and relationships formed through reciprocal professional placements
Made (Intan) Satria Public Affairs Senior Consultant, Indonesia (middle) during her professional placement in Melbourne
Overview
Strategic Development Group (Strategic) implemented the Professional Placements Program on behalf of the Australian Government, to enable Australian and Southeast Asian businesses to send and receive early- to mid-career professionals for international professional placements. Through this program, Strategic has enabled knowledge exchange and capacity-building opportunities for 58 businesses, fostering enduring business-to-business relationships grounded in strong people-to-people connections.
In May and June 2026, York Park Group, an Australian Stakeholder strategy firm, and Kiroyan Partners, an Indonesian public affairs and strategic communications consulting firm, participated in a professional exchange, each sending one of their senior personnel overseas for two-week business placements as part of the Professional Placements program.
Participating organisations
Two organisations participated in this professional placement.
Indonesian Business: Kiroyan Partners
Public affairs and strategic communications consulting firm, Jakarta, Indonesia
Kiroyan Partners is a research-based public affairs and strategic communications consulting firm that aspires to build strong reputations and solve challenges between businesses and their stakeholders by applying ethical, responsible communications.
The Opportunity: Kiroyan Partners had been seeking opportunities to strengthen their strategic consulting capabilities by gaining exposure to how leading firms in the region conduct research, develop strategies, and deliver advisory support. The professional placement program enabled Kiroyan Partners to deploy their Public Affairs Senior Consultant for immersive, in-country experience to build regional networks and translate insights into enhanced internal processes and a broader global perspective.
“This experience strongly aligned with my company’s objective of enhancing consultants’ capabilities and understanding of Australia’s evolving business and political landscape…
This program provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen my capabilities as a senior consultant by expanding my business and government networks in Australia, particularly in York Park Group’s network and gaining exposure to best practices and highly efficient working cultures in companies in Australia.””
This marked Kiroyan Partners’ second participation in the program, following its earlier role as host to a professional from a leading Australian law firm within a cohort of six Australian professionals placed in Jakarta in September 2025.
Australian Business: York Park Group
Stakeholder strategy firm, Melbourne, Australia
York Park Group is a stakeholder strategy firm that specialises in strategy and reputation, public affairs, transaction communications, and crisis and issues management.
The Opportunity: York Park Group sought to strengthen its understanding of Indonesia’s business, policy, and consulting landscape through partnership with a Jakarta-based firm. Through the program, the placement of a Senior Associate enabled direct exposure to the host firm’s operational practices, strategic advisory processes, and client engagement within complex stakeholder settings.
Placement outcomes
In May 2026, Intan spent two weeks in Melbourne with York Park Group. The placement facilitated networking opportunities with partners, clients, former clients, and regionally focused organisations such as the Australian Indonesia Business Council and the Australian Indonesian Association of Victoria. This experience provided her and Kiroyan Partners with valuable insight into how consultants support clients across a range of sectors:
“The placement exceeded my expectations in terms of the quality of exposure, networking opportunities, and practical learning. Beyond the professional experience, it also provided valuable cultural insights and a deeper understanding of the Australia and Southeast Asia relationship.”
Throughout the placement, Intan gained exposure to the Australian firm’s project management and client engagement practices, strengthening her international perspective and cross-cultural capabilities, while enabling Kiroyan Partners to leverage enhanced local networks and new business development opportunities.
“The professional placement provides me with first-hand exposure to different business environments, industry practices, and professional networks that are difficult to gain through short visits. For businesses, it creates opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen international relationships, and gain fresh perspectives from professionals with diverse experiences. The mutual learning and connections developed through the placement can lead to long-term collaboration and professional growth for both participants and organizations… I will take a more proactive approach to building international networks and incorporating global perspectives into my work. I also plan to apply the best practices I observed in stakeholder engagement, client management, and workplace efficiency to strengthen the quality of advice and services I provide to clients.”
In June 2026, both businesses built on this momentum as York Park Group sent their Senior Associate, Jacob Hopgood, on placement for two weeks to Kiroyan Partners in Jakarta. During this time, Jacob deepened his understanding of Kiroyan Partners’ operations and Indonesia’s public affairs landscape, while gaining hands-on exposure to project development, strategic processes, and client engagement. The placement also expanded his professional networks and cross-cultural expertise through engagement with industry bodies and policy stakeholders, supporting stronger bilateral collaboration and future business opportunities between the two firms.
“The scale of Indonesia is colossal and difficult to comprehend. That was the biggest lesson out of my two weeks on a professional placement with Kiroyan Partners, a strategic communications and public affairs firm in Jakarta.”
Mutual Benefits and Broader Impact from this Placement
Deepened cross-cultural and market understanding
Expanded international business networks with prospective partners, clients, industry
Immersive experience to enhance capability and knowledge exchange
Opened doors for future partnerships and business development
Conclusion
The Professional Placements program went beyond simple knowledge exchange, serving as a catalyst for building enduring partnerships between Australian and Indonesian firms. The reciprocal placements of Intan and Jacob highlighted the importance of immersive, on-the-ground engagement in fostering trust, enhancing capability, and unlocking new opportunities for cross-border collaboration.
From gaining a more nuanced understanding of each market’s stakeholder landscape and advisory practices to building enduring professional networks, the placements are already delivering tangible benefits. They have created a strong foundation for continued partnership, opening pathways for deeper Australia-Indonesia business engagement.
About the Professional Placements program
The Professional Placements Program was an 18-month pilot program funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. The program offered support to Australian and Southeast Asian businesses to send or host temporary professional placements of young professionals between Australia and Southeast Asia. Countries included Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
