# Adam Schwarz

> Adam Schwarz is the founder and CEO of Asia Group Advisors, an Access Partnership company, based in Washington, DC. A former Far Eastern Economic Review correspondent and bureau chief, he wrote A Nation in Waiting and worked at McKinsey from 2001 to 2013 before founding AGA in 2013. His work centres on Southeast Asian business opportunities, political and economic risk, and government engagement.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Asia Group Advisors, an Access Partnership company
- **Organizations:** Asia Group Advisors, Access Partnership, McKinsey & Company (former), Far Eastern Economic Review (former), The Jakarta Post (Luce placement), Atlantic Council, US-Indonesia Society, Council on Foreign Relations, Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- **From:** New York, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA in Economics, Duke University, MBA in International Business, Columbia University
- **Known for:** Authored A Nation in Waiting, first published in 1994., Awarded a 1987-1988 Luce Scholar fellowship., Awarded the 1997-1998 Edward R. Murrow Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations.

## Career timeline

- **1983-1985** — Worked in the investment banking division of Banco Roberts in Buenos Aires.
- **1987-1988** — Luce Scholar placed at The Jakarta Post in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- **1989-1992** — Jakarta correspondent for the Far Eastern Economic Review.
- **1992-1993** — Visiting fellow at Murdoch University’s Asia Research Centre; researched and wrote A Nation in Waiting.
- **1994** — Published A Nation in Waiting: Indonesia in the 1990s.
- **1995-1996** — Far Eastern Economic Review bureau chief in Hanoi.
- **1997-1998** — Edward R. Murrow Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
- **2001-2013** — Worked at McKinsey & Company in Southeast Asia.
- **2005** — Led McKinsey’s year-long support to the Aceh Reconstruction Agency at President Yudhoyono’s request.
- **2013** — Founded Asia Group Advisors.
- **2025** — Access Partnership acquired Asia Group Advisors; Schwarz continued as AGA CEO.
- **2026** — Moderated an investment discussion at the Indonesia Economic Summit in Jakarta.

## Achievements

- Authored A Nation in Waiting, first published in 1994.
- Awarded a 1987-1988 Luce Scholar fellowship.
- Awarded the 1997-1998 Edward R. Murrow Fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations.
- Received a Hero of Aceh award from the Indonesian government for reconstruction contributions, according to his Luce Scholars biography.
- Founded Asia Group Advisors in 2013; the firm was acquired by Access Partnership in April 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — Moderated an investment panel at the Indonesia Economic Summit, held on 3-4 February in Jakarta; his subsequent post emphasised execution, regulatory certainty, licensing, governance and human capital.
- **2025-07** — Published ASEAN on the hot seat in US tariff negotiations in Asia Times on July 3.
- **2025-04** — Access Partnership announced its acquisition of Asia Group Advisors on April 2; Schwarz remained CEO of AGA.

## Links

- Website: https://asiagroupadvisors.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-schwarz-aga

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/adam-schwarz
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-06