The Firm
About John Connolly & Partners
Who We Are
One of the world's most experienced public relations professionals.
John Connolly & Partners was founded in 1992 by John Connolly, who prior to establishing the firm was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Pacific operations of the world's largest public relations firm — a member of its board of directors and five-person worldwide executive committee.
With over 40 years of consulting to and working for some of the world's largest companies and organisations, John Connolly is recognised internationally as a pre-eminent authority on corporate reputation, investor relations, crisis communications and government affairs.
The firm is engaged when the outcome matters enormously — when a company's reputation, its licence to operate, or its very future is at stake. Our work is defined not by industry sector, but by complexity, sensitivity and consequence. In virtually all cases, our relationship is directly with the chief executive and the chairs.
We have an ongoing commitment to research into the process of communications, public relations and government affairs that makes us equal to, or in some areas ahead of, any similar firm worldwide. Our research comes from the work we do and have done with clients and our own original commissioned research.
John Connolly
Founder & Partner
Over 40 years of consulting to and working for some of the world's largest companies and organisations across the US, UK, Australia and Asia Pacific.
Full ProfileOur Founder
Unmatched experience at the intersection of reputation, government and capital markets.
Prior to establishing John Connolly & Partners in 1992, John was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Pacific operations of the world's largest public relations firm, and a member of its board of directors and five-person worldwide executive committee. He has since advised on some of the most consequential corporate and public affairs matters in Australian and global history.
“John Connolly is one of the world's most experienced public relations professionals with 40 years of consulting to and working for some of the world's largest companies and organisations.”
Key Credentials
Former President & CEO, Asia Pacific — world's largest Public Relations firm
NYSE Corporate Branding Committee member — only non-US citizen, 10 years
Only non-lawyer to regularly address the International Bar Association
First non-US citizen to address the National Investor Relations Institute (USA)
Founding member, Australian Stock Exchange branding committee
Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
Member, Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House)
UC Berkeley — Artificial Intelligence Business Strategies & Applications
Our Values
The principles that define how we work.
These are not aspirations. They are the standards by which every member of our team operates, every day.
Clarity
We cut through complexity to give our clients a clear, honest picture of their situation — even when that picture is uncomfortable. Our counsel is never vague, never hedged.
Discretion
The trust our clients place in us is absolute. Every engagement, every conversation, every piece of advice is treated with complete and unwavering confidentiality.
Evidence
We use our own commissioned research and rigorous analysis to ground every strategy in evidence. We help our clients understand the world better than anyone else.
Precision
We do not deal in generalities. Every strategy, every message, every action is precisely calibrated to achieve a specific outcome in a specific context.
Relationships
Our relationships are built over decades, not engagements. The average length of our client relationships is 15 years — a testament to the trust we earn and keep.
Excellence
We undertake only the most demanding and complex assignments, and we bring the full weight of our experience and intellect to every one of them.
Our History
Over 40 years of building trust at the highest levels.
John Connolly & Partners Founded
After serving as President and CEO of the Asia Pacific operations of the world's largest public relations firm — and as a member of its worldwide board and five-person executive committee — John Connolly establishes the firm in Sydney.
Julie Connolly Joins the Firm
Julie Connolly joins JCP, bringing deep investor relations expertise from her senior roles at Westfield Trust and Westfield Holdings Group, where she designed and managed the first IR program for the newly listed trust.
NYSE Corporate Branding Committee
John Connolly becomes the only non-US citizen appointed to an internal committee of the New York Stock Exchange advising on corporate branding and implementation — a role he holds for 10 years.
World's Largest Hostile Takeovers
JCP leads global communications for one of the world's largest hostile takeovers, and advises both sides on mergers leading to the creation of two of the world's largest mining companies.
International Bar Association
John Connolly becomes the only non-lawyer to regularly address the International Bar Association, delivering keynote addresses at IBA biennial conferences in New York and Cannes.
Melbourne Office Opens
The firm opens its Melbourne office at 31 Spring Street, extending its reach to Victoria's corporate and government communities.
Minerals Resource Rent Tax Campaign
JCP leads the communications campaign against the introduction of a minerals resource rent tax in Australia — one of the most significant public affairs campaigns in Australian corporate history.
AIRA Conference Opening Speaker
John Connolly delivers the opening address at the 2017 Australasian Investor Relations Association Conference, cementing the firm's standing as a leader in investor relations counsel.
AICD COVID-19 Communications Tools
The Australian Institute of Company Directors commissions John Connolly to develop the communication tools for boards on COVID-19, published on the AICD website for directors nationwide.
Global Reach, Unmatched Experience
With over 40 years of experience, JCP continues to operate at the highest levels of corporate and government life — trusted by the world's most consequential organisations across Australia, the US, UK and Asia.
Global Reach
A global orientation with an international network of relationships.
We operate wherever our clients need us — across jurisdictions, time zones and cultures.
Australia
Sydney & Melbourne
Headquarters. Full-service capability across all practice areas, with deep relationships across federal and state governments, ASX-listed corporations and major institutions. Offices at 155 King Street, Sydney and 31 Spring Street, Melbourne.
- ASX & Global 500 corporations
- Federal & state government
- ASIC & regulatory bodies
United Kingdom
London Network
Long-standing relationships with UK government, Parliament and the City. John Connolly has addressed the International Bar Association at its biennial conferences in London and Cannes, and has managed major public affairs issues involving UK-listed corporations.
- IBA biennial conferences
- UK Parliamentary matters
- Cross-border M&A
United States
New York & Washington Network
Deep experience advising on matters involving the NYSE, SEC and major US institutions. John Connolly served on the NYSE's internal corporate branding committee for 10 years and on the global branding committee of Bristol Myers Squibb. He was the first non-US citizen to address the National Investor Relations Institute.
- NYSE branding committee (10 years)
- NIRI — first non-US speaker
- NYMEX acquisition counsel
Asia
Regional Network
Extensive experience managing sensitive community, government and stakeholder issues across the Asia Pacific region, including major public affairs issues in Indonesia, China and New Zealand. John Connolly was previously President and CEO of the Asia Pacific operations of the world's largest Public Relations firm.
- Indonesia & China public affairs
- Asia Pacific CEO experience
- Cross-border resource sector
We help our clients understand the world better than anyone else — giving them a decisive strategic advantage over their competitors, their adversaries, and the media.
Our Research
Evidence-based strategy grounded in original research.
Our commitment to research into the process of communications, public relations and government affairs makes us equal to, or in some areas ahead of, any similar firm worldwide. We never rely on instinct alone — every recommendation is grounded in data, tested against experience, and calibrated to the specific context of each client.
Corporate Trust & Credibility
In the early 1990s, some of the world's largest resource companies — facing severe constraints from growing community pressure and the emerging environmental movement — commissioned John Connolly to research new approaches to rebuilding trust and credibility. That ground-breaking work produced a unique methodology for rebuilding corporate reputation that has since been applied across the US, Canadian and Australian financial services sectors.
Corporate Brand Architecture
JCP developed the concept of the corporate brand and its relationship to corporate reputation — a framework now adopted by leading firms worldwide. John Connolly was the only non-US citizen appointed to the New York Stock Exchange's internal corporate branding committee for 10 years, and subsequently served on the global branding committee of Bristol Myers Squibb in New York and as a founding member of the branding committee of the Australian Stock Exchange.
Investor Relations Research
The firm has pioneered research into investor relations practice in Australia and globally. John Connolly was the first non-US citizen to address the National Investor Relations Institute of the United States. Julie Connolly's work at Westfield pioneered a range of initiatives in investor relations that have since become industry standard across the ASX.
Public Affairs & Policy
JCP's research into public affairs and government relations has informed some of the most significant policy campaigns in Australian corporate history, including the campaign against the minerals resource rent tax. John Connolly has been a contributing editor to a range of publications and writes a weekly column for The Weekend Australian.
Next Steps
Ready to work with us?
We work with a select number of clients at any one time, ensuring every engagement receives the full attention of our most senior advisors. We welcome a confidential conversation.