Government relations and public
affairs capability building
What dilemmas are you facing?
The GRPA functional leader
What you do:
You run the Government Relations and Public Affairs function in an ever-changing environment. Just like the other functions supporting the business – HR, Finance, Legal and IT – you look to do so in the most (cost) effective way.
Things you ask yourself: How effective is GRPA at fulfilling its role? How can we maximize the value our function brings to the business and demonstrate that we do so? And how can we minimize the associated risk, including the risk of non-compliance? How can we be sure that we remain aligned with the business throughout the business cycle? And see to it that GRPA constantly sharpens its ability to help safeguard the long-term future of the company?
The Board member or advisor
What you do:
You run the business or you have an oversight role in or advisory role to the Board. You rely on the Audit committee to provide assurance against agreed company standards or you are putting a team together to advise your client on strategic challenges.
Things you ask yourself: What assurance do we have that GRPA is fulfilling its role effectively? Who knows what the relevant standards are to test this function’s performance against? How do we know whether GRPA properly manages risk and reward in what is a sensitive operating theatre? And how do we decide which interventions will safeguard or increase the contribution of this group of professionals to the business?
The M&A Consultant
What you do: You support corporate clients as they buy and sell businesses and assets and support buyer’s and seller’s due diligence.
What you ask yourself when supporting a buyer is: What if the value of the entity in question is influenced by the government? How do I know what good looks like? What other factors are at play? What if the target’s assets are in countries we are unfamiliar with?
What you ask yourself when supporting a seller is: What if the business being carved out is in an industry that is heavily regulated and needs an instantly effective GRPA team that seller cannot to offer in the sale? How would we limit the discount the buyer may claim?
GRPA HEALTH CHECK
You require a fast assessment of the state of affairs of the GRPA function. We come in on short notice and provide a high-level analysis in a matter of weeks.
We combine the experience of your own front-line leaders with our knowledge. Using proven proprietary assessment technology, you get fact-based and measurable insight.
Typical clients are GRPA functional leaders, CEOs, Board-members or M&A advisors on due diligence assignments.
GRPA STRATEGY
You are looking for help to define the vision, mission, ambition and roadmap to enhance GR{PA capability and bring the GRPA function from ‘good to great’.
We deploy our functional strategy development framework, mapping out the inputs we need, the work we do and the shape of the roadmap you can expect.
Typical clients are GRPA functional leaders, CEOs or other executives with the GRPA function in their portfolio.
GRPA TRANSFORMATION
You need leadership, expertise and the right resources to do the heavy-lifting and execute the desired projects in your organisation to ensure the strategy is delivered.
We help you create a team of internal and external resources (from our network and yours) to set up a program office and do the work with your organisation to get the job done.
Typical Industries
Industries where our services add most value share a number of characteristics:
– Owners and developers of physical assets for the long-term.
– Active in most regions or globally.
– Considering the host government their partner.
– Subject to a heavy and frequently changing regulatory framework.
– Adding significant value to local economies.
Think of the energy, chemicals, mining, utilities, transport, construction and FMCG sectors and their suppliers and service providers. Our approach can also benefit pharmaceuticals, banking and technology sectors.
Why rely on GR-IQ?
Paul Beijer founded GR-IQ after nearly twenty-five years in international corporate leadership. He most recently served as Vice-President of Government Relations at Royal Dutch Shell, with responsibility for Strategy, Planning and Assurance, supporting the strengthening of Shell’s Government Relations capability through clearer operating discipline, standards and strategic alignment.
Earlier in his career, Paul held senior roles in Strategy, Finance and Risk management across Shell businesses in the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. He has operated in complex external environments and has worked across diverse cultures and geographies.
Since establishing GR-IQ, Paul and his associates have delivered assignments in the Energy, FMCG, Logistics and Chemicals sectors, helping leadership teams align external engagement with corporate strategy, strengthen governance and decision-making, and build fit-for-purpose GRPA operating models with measurable impact.
Paul completed executive programs at IESE and the Erasmus Governance Institute (both 2019), earned an MBA from the University of Groningen (1994) and has taught at the same institution’s Executive MBA Program since 2023.
Paul’s focus is to bring strategy, structure and process to a relationship-driven discipline, equipping executives to capture the full enterprise value of Government Relations and Public Affairs.
About Government Relations and Public Affairs
GRPA professionals play multiple roles, translating developments in business to non-market stakeholders and explaining the realities of the non-market to business. The best GRPA professionals create value on that intersection.
Collaborating with GR-IQ
Principles of engagement
CONFIDENTIALITY & INTEGRITY
The work you undertake is as confidential as it is important. We adopt the highest standards of integrity to protect what we learn.
GLOBAL NETWORK
We tap into a global network of partners, including government relations professionals, public affairs firms and diplomats.
SENIOR ENGAGEMENTS
We engage with the most senior leaders in your company and provide the detail and evidence you need to make decisions.
FIT FOR PURPOSE SOLUTIONS
To embed the approaches we design, you get off-the-shelf solutions where possible and bespoke solutions where needed.
CLOSE CONTACT
The conversations you have often occured face to face. We can still build rapport and work alongside you on a virtual basis.
ORGANIZATIONAL AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITY
We listen to what is said as much as to what isn’t. Our years of working in global teams taught us what to look for.
