The Asia Group

The Asia Group (TAG) is an American strategic advisory and consulting firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. The firm was established in 2013 by Kurt Campbell, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Nirav Patel, a former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Strategy and Multilateral Affairs. Its formation placed the company within a specialized category of advisory firms that combine commercial consulting with experience in government, diplomacy, international security, and regional policy. TAG advises companies seeking to enter, expand within, or manage operations across the Asia-Pacific region. Its work is oriented toward helping clients understand political, regulatory, economic, and strategic conditions that can affect cross-border business. The firm's public profile reflects an emphasis on Asia-related market strategy and high-level geopolitical advice rather than on mass-market consumer products or standardized professional services. The company's leadership has included several former senior U.S. government and diplomatic officials. On June 21, 2017, TAG announced that Richard Verma, who had served as the U.S. ambassador to India, would join the firm as vice chairman. In 2019, Kurt Tong, a former U.S. consul general in Hong Kong, joined TAG as a partner. These appointments reinforced the firm's model of drawing on practitioners with direct experience in diplomacy and international policy. Kurt Campbell departed TAG in January 2021 to become the coordinator for the Indo-Pacific at the U.S. National Security Council. He subsequently became Deputy Secretary of State. Before leaving the firm, Campbell's consulting clients reportedly included Northrop Grumman, McKinsey & Company, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin. The available reference material does not provide detailed information about TAG's ownership, revenue, legal structure, employee count, standalone website, or current full executive roster. TAG is best classified as a professional-services brand, specifically an international strategy and geopolitical advisory firm. Its differentiation rests on regional specialization and the policy expertise of its senior advisers. Because the available source material is limited, detailed information about its current operations, service lines, offices, campaigns, financial performance, and present-day leadership remains incomplete.

The Asia Group was founded in 2013 in Washington, D.C., by Kurt Campbell and Nirav Patel. Campbell brought experience as a senior U.S. diplomat and as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, while Patel had served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Strategy and Multilateral Affairs. Their backgrounds shaped TAG as a strategic advisory firm focused on the intersection of international commerce, public policy, diplomacy, and regional geopolitics. From its inception, the firm concentrated on advising companies and other organizations that wanted to expand into or operate across the Asia-Pacific region. Rather than functioning as a consumer-facing brand, TAG developed as a specialized professional-services business whose value proposition depended on regional knowledge, strategic analysis, and access to advisers with government and diplomatic experience. The available reference material characterizes its work broadly as consulting for companies seeking Asia-Pacific expansion and does not enumerate a complete set of formal practice areas. TAG expanded its senior advisory bench during the late 2010s. On June 21, 2017, the firm announced the appointment of Richard Verma as vice chairman. Verma had previously served as the U.S. ambassador to India, a background that aligned with TAG's focus on Asian markets and international policy. In 2019, former U.S. consul general in Hong Kong Kurt Tong joined the firm as a partner. His arrival further strengthened the organization's representation of former senior diplomatic officials with direct experience in the region. A significant leadership transition occurred in January 2021, when co-founder Kurt Campbell left TAG to become the National Security Council coordinator for the Indo-Pacific. Campbell subsequently became Deputy Secretary of State. His departure illustrated the firm's close connection to U.S. foreign-policy institutions, while also marking the end of his direct involvement in the company's consulting operations. The reference material identifies several of Campbell's clients at TAG, including Northrop Grumman, McKinsey & Company, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin. The available sources do not establish a detailed chronology of TAG's later growth, its complete office network, ownership structure, revenue, workforce, or current management. They also do not identify major product launches, advertising campaigns, lawsuits, recalls, scandals, acquisitions, or public financial disclosures. On the evidence available, The Asia Group remains an active private strategic-advisory brand whose principal identity is based on Asia-Pacific expertise and senior-level international policy counsel.

• 2021

  Co-founder Kurt Campbell departs

  [1]The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Campbell left The Asia Group in January to take a senior Indo-Pacific coordination role at the U.S. National Security Council.

• 2019

  Kurt Tong joins as partner

  [1]The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Former U.S. consul general in Hong Kong Kurt Tong joined The Asia Group as a partner.

• 2017

  Richard Verma joins as vice chairman

  [1]The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org

  The firm announced that former U.S. ambassador to India Richard Verma would join its leadership as vice chairman.

• 2013

  The Asia Group is founded

  [1]The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Kurt Campbell and Nirav Patel co-founded The Asia Group as a Washington, D.C.-based strategic advisory firm serving organizations interested in the Asia-Pacific region.

A specialized, senior-adviser-led strategic consulting firm that helps organizations navigate commercial, political, regulatory, and geopolitical issues connected with the Asia-Pacific region.

• Strategic consulting · 2013

  Asia-Pacific strategic advisory

  Advisory services for companies and organizations assessing commercial opportunities, political conditions, and strategic risks in Asia-Pacific markets. The available source describes TAG's work at a broad level and does not specify a standardized package or named product.

• International business consulting · 2013

  Asia-Pacific market-expansion consulting

  Consulting intended for companies seeking to enter or expand in the Asia-Pacific region. The offering is associated with cross-border strategy and the interpretation of regional commercial, political, and regulatory environments.

• Geopolitical advisory · 2013

  Geopolitical and public-policy advice

  Senior-level counsel drawing on diplomatic and government experience to help clients understand how foreign-policy developments and public-policy decisions may affect their international activities.

• 2021

  Kurt Campbell leaves for government serviceStrategy

  Background

  Co-founder Kurt Campbell was selected for a senior U.S. government role focused on Indo-Pacific policy.

  Action taken

  Campbell left The Asia Group in January 2021 to become coordinator for the Indo-Pacific at the National Security Council.

  Aftermath

  Campbell ended his direct role at TAG and later became Deputy Secretary of State. The available source does not describe the firm's subsequent internal restructuring.

  Source

• 2019

  Appointment of Kurt Tong as partnerOther

  Background

  The firm continued to build its advisory team with officials who had direct experience in Asian diplomacy and regional government affairs.

  Action taken

  Former U.S. consul general in Hong Kong Kurt Tong joined The Asia Group as a partner.

  Aftermath

  Tong's appointment broadened the firm's senior diplomatic expertise concerning Hong Kong and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

  Source

• 2017

  Appointment of Richard Verma as vice chairmanOther

  Background

  The Asia Group sought to expand its senior advisory leadership with an individual experienced in U.S. diplomacy and South Asian affairs.

  Action taken

  The firm announced that former U.S. ambassador to India Richard Verma would join as vice chairman.

  Aftermath

  The appointment added a former senior ambassador to the firm's Asia-focused advisory platform.

  Source

• 2021

  Kurt Campbell leaves The Asia Group for the U.S. National Security Council[1]The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Co-founder Kurt Campbell left the firm in January 2021 to become the National Security Council coordinator for the Indo-Pacific; he later became Deputy Secretary of State.

• 2019

  Kurt Tong joins The Asia Group as a partner[1]The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Former U.S. consul general in Hong Kong Kurt Tong joined The Asia Group as a partner, adding senior diplomatic experience to the firm's advisory leadership.

• 2017

  Richard Verma joins The Asia Group as vice chairman[1]The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The Asia Group announced that former U.S. ambassador to India Richard Verma would join the firm as vice chairman.

1. 1The Asia Groupen.wikipedia.org