Gerry Gunster

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Gerry Gunster leads the firm’s initiative, referendum and advocacy campaigns in the U.S. and worldwide. He is a two-time winner of Best American Advocacy Campaign at the AAPC Pollie Awards and was named International Consultant of the Year by the American Association of Political Consultants in 2018.

Earlier, he advised two members of Congress and ran government affairs for Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Universal Studios, Tropicana and the Grocery Manufacturers of America. He was associate director of Last Best Chance, the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s HBO docudrama on loosely secured nuclear weapons, starring actor and former Senator Fred Thompson, and wrote Our Land, Our Future, a documentary on New York’s Shinnecock Indian Nation.

He lectures at universities in the U.S. and abroad and serves on the boards of Action on World Health, the Royal Commonwealth Society in London and Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Drew University and did his master’s research at the Johns Hopkins University Center for the Study of American Government.

Dwayne Bickford

Partner

Dwayne Bickford has spent decades managing advocacy programs and initiative and referendum campaigns, at the federal, state and local level, in Maine, Oklahoma, Colorado, Massachusetts, California, France and the U.K.

He pairs disciplined campaign management with opinion research, grassroots organizing, coalition building, media relations, get-out-the-vote programs and paid advertising, on issues from tax and environmental policy to infrastructure and regulation.

He is a former Executive Director of the Maine Republican Party, served as Victory Director for two federal coordinated campaigns, and has advised candidates for governor, the U.S. Senate, Congress and state and local office.

Ambassador Omar Arouna

President of Global Public Affairs and Engagement

Ambassador Omar Arouna brings more than 25 years in foreign policy, economic development and diplomacy, helping clients navigate complex political landscapes, shape policy and expand into new markets.

He served as Benin’s Ambassador to the United States and Mexico, and as its representative to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Organization of American States. He has advised U.S. companies, governments and international organizations on engagement with Africa.

He founded and chairs the Center for Cyber Diplomacy and Leadership at The George Washington University, and leads the advisory board of the Pan-African Institute of Municipal Development. He holds an MBA from The George Washington University, is a Commander of the National Order of Benin, and is the author of The Shadow of Power in Benin and L’audace de Réussir.

Rt. Hon. Kwasi Kwarteng

Global Chief Strategist and Director of Energy, Infrastructure and Economic Policy

Kwasi Kwarteng served as the U.K.’s Chancellor of the Exchequer in 2022 and, from 2021 to 2022, as Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, leading national energy and industrial policy. He held earlier ministerial posts and entered Parliament as Member for Spelthorne in 2010.

Before politics he worked as a financial analyst. He studied classics and history at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he also earned a PhD in economic history, and attended Harvard University as a Kennedy Scholar. He is the author of several books, including Ghosts of Empire and Thatcher’s Trial.

Tim Walsh

Chief Advocacy Officer

Tim Walsh builds advocacy initiatives and client partnerships across industries and policy areas.

As a partner at GVC Strategies from 2012 to 2023, he led marketing strategy and partnerships with trade associations and Fortune 500 companies, including campaigns for FedEx, Mastercard and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

He has also founded and led several businesses, particularly in food and beverage, and holds ownership interests in Washington-area restaurants including The Avenue and Capital Crab & Seafood Co.

Hon. Andy Wigmore

Chief Diplomatic Strategist

Andy Wigmore served Belize as a diplomat in London, as Minister-Counsellor and trade and investment attaché, representing the country at Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings and other international summits.

He was communications director of a winning national referendum campaign and advises political leaders and corporations on media strategy. He has built and sold companies in healthcare and insurance.

He is a Commonwealth Senior Justice of the Peace and an ambassador for the Belize Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, having competed for Belize at world, Olympic and Commonwealth games.

The Hon. Ian Paisley

Director of UK, Ireland and European Economic Development

Ian Paisley was Member of Parliament for North Antrim from 2010 to 2024, known for working closely with business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs to bring investment to Northern Ireland.

He promoted the region for tourism, agri-food innovation, advanced manufacturing and rural enterprise, and helped secure investment in transport, digital connectivity and skills training. His focus is cutting red tape, creating jobs and opening access to funding and infrastructure.

A historian by training and an experienced negotiator, he has strong international connections that support cross-border trade and exports.

Khaled El Sayyad

Director of African and Middle Eastern Accounts

Khaled El Sayyad leads the Cairo office and the firm’s accounts across the Middle East and North Africa, linking clients in the region with the Washington headquarters.

He focuses on business development and market entry, developing strategies that help clients overcome competitive and regulatory barriers. He co-founded Blackfish Properties.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The George Washington University and a master’s degree in public relations and communications.

Lauren Terry

Campaign Operations Coordinator

Lauren Terry keeps campaigns running day to day, drawing on years at some of America’s largest corporations.