Joseph Tannous founded Cornerstone Group in 2011 and has since built it into one of Australia’s leading bipartisan government relations consultancies. He first entered public life in 1999 as the youngest Mayor in New South Wales, before serving in senior roles within the Liberal Party, including on the NSW State Executive and leading several successful State and Federal election campaigns.

Joseph has advised major corporations across diverse industries, cultivating trusted working relationships with leaders at all levels of government. His career blends political insight with practical advocacy and a strong instinct for effective public policy. At Cornerstone, Joseph continues to drive strategy and client outcomes, ensuring the firm remains a trusted partner across the political spectrum.

Craig Laundy combines senior political experience with commercial leadership in hospitality and business. Elected as the Federal Liberal Member for Reid in 2013, he increased the seat’s margin at the 2016 election and went on to serve as Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Small and Family Business, Industrial Relations and Deregulation, and Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science. He also chaired the House Economics Committee and contributed to significant parliamentary inquiries.

Outside politics, Craig built his career in the Laundy Hotel Group, where he spent two decades in leadership before entering Parliament in 2013. Following his resignation in 2019, he returned to the family business. His combined experience as a policymaker and business leader offers Cornerstone clients practical insight into regulation and government.

Jaala Pulford is a recognised leader in public policy and innovation, with more than 16 years in cabinet and senior government roles. Representing Western Victoria in the Victorian Parliament from 2006 to 2022, she held portfolios including Resources, Employment, Innovation, Medical Research, the Digital Economy and Small Business. Her leadership helped drive reform across multiple industries and sectors.

Since leaving parliament, Jaala has established a career as a Chair, Non-Executive Director and strategic advisor. She is a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne and Chair of MTPConnect, Australia’s leading life sciences innovation centre. She also serves on several boards across science, health and technology. Jaala’s expertise in governance, policy and innovation strengthens Cornerstone’s capability and perspective in Victoria.

Lawrence Springborg is a respected reform-driven leader with more than three decades of service in Queensland public life. He currently serves as Mayor of Goondiwindi Regional Council and has held senior ministerial portfolios, including Health and Natural Resources. As Minister for Health, he led major system reforms that restored integrity and public confidence in Queensland’s health services.

Lawrence is a former Leader of the Queensland National Party, the inaugural Leader of the merged Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) and served three terms as Leader of the Opposition. His extensive parliamentary experience and continued relationships in Queensland provide Cornerstone clients with practical and strategic insights at both state and regional levels.

A Member of the Order of Australia and a fourth-generation Queenslander, Lawrence brings a deep understanding of Queensland’s communities, industries and decision-making landscape, strengthening Cornerstone’s on-the-ground capability across the state.

Graham Perrett draws on more than 30 years of experience in politics, law and education. As the Federal Labor Member for Moreton from 2007 to 2025, he served in leadership positions including Shadow Assistant Minister and Government Whip. He is recognised for his work in legislative reform, stakeholder engagement and bipartisan advocacy.

Before entering parliament, Graham worked as a solicitor, educator and policy adviser. His public service extends beyond parliamentary roles, including service on the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee, as President of the Parliamentarians for Diabetes Global Network, and as a Flight Lieutenant legal officer in the RAAF.

At Cornerstone, Graham applies his political networks, legislative experience and advocacy skills to support clients navigating complex government processes and achieving sustainable outcomes.

Matthew Shaw brings extensive experience across government, business and international markets, with a career spanning strategic communications, public affairs and policy development. He has held senior roles including Director of Strategy to Premier Chris Minns during the successful 2023 NSW election campaign, and Deputy Chief of Staff to Minister Steve Kamper across the Lands and Property, Multiculturalism, Sport, Jobs and Tourism portfolios. Earlier in his career, he contributed to the government of former Premier Bob Carr, supporting key policy and operational initiatives.

Matthew has advised on complex areas including Urban Affairs, Planning, Land and Property, Sport, Multiculturalism, Jobs, Tourism and Small Business. His strengths in engagement, negotiation and consensus-building have earned the confidence of business leaders, industry groups, sporting bodies and multicultural and faith communities. He has been a central negotiator on major legislative and policy reforms, working constructively with non-Government and crossbench MPs to secure outcomes.

Internationally, Matthew spent more than a decade in Singapore, where he founded and led a successful consultancy serving clients across Asia, including China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. His combined government and commercial experience enhances Cornerstone’s capability in strategic advisory, stakeholder engagement and cross-jurisdictional policy work.

Keren Davies is a government affairs professional with experience spanning law, corporate policy, communications and international diplomacy. She has advised on major reforms through senior roles with the NSW Government Chief Digital Team and Justice Department and previously worked as a senior lawyer and corporate affairs adviser at Telstra. Earlier, Keren represented Australia at the United Nations in New York as an adviser and advocate. She holds degrees in Law and Arts (Economics major) from the University of Sydney and a certificate in International Affairs from New York University. Keren’s cross-sector expertise allows her to guide clients through complex regulatory and political challenges, particularly in the technology and policy reform space.

Max Tobin brings experience across international diplomacy, industry advocacy and parliamentary offices, with a particular focus on energy and resources policy. In his previous role as an Economic Adviser at the Embassy of Japan in Australia, he advised on Australian trade and energy markets, including LNG and minerals exports, domestic gas security and environmental regulatory frameworks.

Max also served as a staffer to senior members of the Federal Coalition, including the Hon Angus Taylor MP, Shadow Treasurer of Australia, and Jason Falinski MP, Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics. In these roles, he supported economic policy development, parliamentary strategy and stakeholder engagement across key fiscal, regulatory and market reform agendas, gaining experience working with Ministers’ offices, crossbench MPs and parliamentary committees.

Previously, Max worked with Australian Energy Producers in external affairs and policy roles, supporting political engagement strategies, ministerial and stakeholder engagement, and policy development across issues including First Nations consultation, lower-carbon fuels, carbon capture and storage, and EPBC reform.

Jason Falinski brings both political and corporate expertise to his role as Special Counsel. He represented Mackellar in the House of Representatives from 2016 to 2022, chairing the Standing Committee on Economics and the Committee on Tax and Revenue. Under his leadership, these committees produced seven parliamentary reports on issues including housing affordability, taxpayer advocacy and corporate governance. Prior to parliament, Jason was Group Executive for Strategy, Mergers and Acquisitions at Insurance Australia Group. He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics from the University of Sydney, an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management, and graduate diplomas from the Securities Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has also undertaken executive study at Cambridge University on transitioning to Net Zero.

Taylee Lewis is an international corporate affairs specialist based between Sydney and Milan. She serves as President of the Australia Italy Business Association and has experience advising Fortune 500 companies, multinationals and securities exchanges. Taylee previously worked as a senior consultant with a leading Washington-based public affairs firm, where she advised on high-profile cross-border disputes and transactions. Earlier, she was a finance journalist for global investment publications. At Cornerstone, Taylee supports European clients and specialises in helping Italian firms enter and expand in the Australian market, providing practical insight into international business and government engagement.

Andrew Morton contributes research, communications and policy expertise to Cornerstone’s client work. He previously spent more than a decade at a leading retailer, where he developed policies, training programs and digital content, and managed several business expansion projects. At Cornerstone, Andrew provides analytical and communications support across industries, including proposal development, digital marketing and policy advice.

Tom Reilly has built his career on both sides of the negotiating table. He has led complex, high-value deals as a seller of large-scale technology solutions and outsourcing services, and has also acted for major buyers of those services across a wide range of markets and industries.

Tom has advised an extensive portfolio of blue-chip clients, including global technology leaders, management consultancies, financial institutions, major corporates and government agencies. His experience includes work with organisations such as Apple, Microsoft, Qantas, Telstra, LG, IKEA, NAB, Morgan Stanley, Accenture, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey & Company, Ausgrid, BlueScope Steel, Shell, Sydney Water, and multiple NSW and Queensland government departments and agencies.

His executive background spans C-level roles running outsourcing ventures for Ernst & Young, Jardines, Soros and Capgemini, as well as Partner-level positions in the sourcing advisory practices of KPMG and EY. This combination of senior commercial, advisory and delivery experience enables Tom to bring pragmatic, outcome-focused counsel to clients navigating major technology, outsourcing and procurement decisions.

Brent Snow is a senior technology executive with CTO/CIO-level experience across government and global professional services. He specialises in technology strategy, complex ICT transformations and performance turnarounds. As Chief Technology Officer at the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, he led the restructuring of the GovConnect cluster supporting 15,000 employees, moving from legacy outsourcing to a hybrid multi-vendor model, introducing SIAM and lifting ITIL and service management maturity.
In the private sector, Brent held global CIO / ICT Director roles with international law firm Baker & McKenzie, overseeing application development, infrastructure, security, service management and vendor governance across 18 Asia-Pacific offices and a global IT services centre. Earlier in his career, he held technical roles with GIO Insurance and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.