Government Relations

Navigating through the complex and polarizing political landscapes of London and Washington demands a skilled and seasoned leader, experienced coalition-builders, and a deep understanding of the underlying forces driving policymaking. At Barkal Communications, our founder and Managing Director, Ahmed Badawi, brings his wealth of experience in government and public affairs in both the UK and USA.

Over the past 25 years, Ahmed has carefully curated an exceptional network of top-tier consultants from Britain, America, and beyond, enabling us to offer unparalleled expertise in government relations and public affairs. Barkal Communications is positioned uniquely to provide a seamless and unparalleled transatlantic perspective in those two fields, thanks to Mr. Badawi's extensive professional background and carefully crafted rolodex. With equal familiarity and ease, we navigate the intricacies of both London and Washington, D.C. 

At Barkal Communications, we have unmatched coalition-building experience and assets deployable to support our clients in government and public affairs in the UK and USA. Our extensive arsenal includes esteemed consultants in both London and Washington, leading experts in various think tanks, trade and industry associations, CEOs, powerful financial institutions and individual investors on a global and regional level, and influential figures such as former government and military officials. Additionally, we have established connections with prominent NGOs, and other civil society organizations in the UK, USA, the EU, and Africa. Our team of consultants also encompasses top-of-the-line journalists from traditional and digital media outlets, along with a strong presence in the influencer community on both sides of the Atlantic.

At Barkal Communications, our unparalleled wealth of experience in both London and Washington D.C. drives our expertise in legislative and policy matters. Led by Ahmed Badawi, our team of consultants has a proven history of providing top-notch government affairs services to various sovereign governments. This includes navigating political relationships, issue management, crisis communications, facilitating bilateral trade and foreign investment, advocating for the lifting of sanctions, and fostering cooperation in defence and security. Our physical presence in the USA also ensures quick issue management interventions in our clients’ government relations with the United States, saving them from potentially rippling and infecting client relations with the UK and EU.

Our government relations services offer a distinct advantage to clients in the 'Net Zero' sector – and, uniquely, it is available to clients for both the UK and the USA. With our strong connections within the UK government, Barkal Communications is equipped uniquely to give expert help to our corporate clients in the net zero sector, including securing entry into the highly profitable UK EV market and its supply chains, as well as access to clean energy infrastructure and accompanying forward and backward linkages. We are also well-positioned to aid clients within the UK in public advocacy and coalition-building for M&A opportunities in both the clean energy – and indeed generic M&A opportunities.

Within the USA net zero sector, meanwhile, Barkal Communications offers unrivalled access to help socialise British companies, (or UK subsidiaries/representative offices of EU firms) within the corridors of power in Washington, D.C, and, in turn, speed access to the huge fiscal incentives for greenfield net zero sector investments in the USA under the landmark inflation reduction act. 

Importantly, Barkal leverages the Lobby Disclosure Act (LDA) when working with our government relations and public affairs consultants in Washington, D.C., allowing us to interact with the executive and legislative branches for our net zero clients with minimal media and public attention, if so desired. 

At Barkal Communications, our expertise in government relations also specialises in obtaining market-entry and greenfield investment approvals in the USA for fledgling or other electric vehicle and clean energy companies from outside of Europe. We also help clients in pursuing M&A opportunities in both strategic and non-safeguarded sectors in the USA.