Praxis Advisory is a boutique national security consultancy which works closely with a broad range of agencies and government departments tasked with keeping Australia safe and prosperous. Praxis Advisory provides specialised advisory services, research and analysis products, and bespoke practitioner training programs. The Praxis team comprises internationally recognised subject matter experts and experienced national security professionals focused on providing high quality insights and interventions for our clients.

Core Services

  • Praxis Advisory offers its clients access to a highly differentiated advisory service capability. Our team has deep expertise in multiple fields combined with extensive experience of working within and for key national security agencies and related government departments in Australia and globally. Our engagement with a diverse and multi-faceted range of clients enables us to recognise the complexity of the issues that they confront, the increasingly complex landscapes that they operate within, and how these changing dynamics impact their priorities. Praxis Advisory is fully committed to supporting client needs in a responsive, impactful, timely and cost-effective manner. Our advice is research driven and empirically informed, triangulated within our team, and ethically anchored in best practice. When our clients are grappling with complex challenges that necessitate unique subject matter expertise and insight, they can rely on us to deliver impactful support – even under the most testing of circumstances. We thrive on complexity and work for our clients to create clarity.

  • Praxis Advisory has crafted a unique approach to research and analysis practice. By integrating deep expertise from operational, policy, analytical, practitioner, think tank and academic backgrounds, our team provides a full spectrum research capability for select clients. Research products range from country, threat, and context briefings, to comprehensive, long form reporting and research monographs addressing larger thematic issues. All our research and analytical products are put through an intensive internal peer-review process to ensure that client needs, and quality control, are stringently maintained. Our team prides itself on its ability to produce timely, accurate, and comprehensive research and analytical products that are rigorous, evidence-informed and supported by Open-Source Intelligence tools and approaches. Praxis Advisory draws on an extensive and diverse transnational network of trusted experts, field researchers, and analysts, to contribute to our research and analytical efforts, resulting in nuanced, highly calibrated, and sophisticated reportage. Depending on client needs, these products may shape policy or underpin training initiatives.

  • Praxis Advisory offers a wide range of training and education opportunities. These are typically undertaken within client environments to support capacity building. Our team has designed and developed numerous bespoke programs which have benefitted over twenty thousand participants in a multitude of jurisdictions. These programs cover a wide range of professional requirements ranging from leadership to analysis, interviewing, and specialist content across the national security, CT and P/CVE domains. We have extensive experience of working with and for audiences in law enforcement, corrections, intelligence, foreign affairs, and defence, in addition to community and non-governmental organisations. Our team has also delivered capacity building and capability development programs on behalf of national governments, multi-national organisations, and industry clients across the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa.

  • Some Praxis Advisory courses are available for public enrolment. Click the course titles or reach out on the email address below to learn more.

Executive Team

Andrew McDowell

Intelligence Capabilities

Andrew is an experienced counter terrorism practitioner, with 17 years of service with the Australian Government. During his government career, Andrew worked closely with law enforcement and intelligence partners in Australia and abroad, with a focus on operational activities. Since leaving government service, Andrew has continued to work with clients in the national security, law enforcement, and justice sectors to improve analytic, operational and leadership capabilities. Andrew holds a BS Hons in Zoology and Evolutionary Ecology from the University of Queensland, an MBA from Macquarie University, and a Master of Terrorism and Security Studies (University Medal) from Charles Sturt University.

Dr Sean Keeling

Countering Violent Extremism

Sean is a former British diplomat with 25 years of national security experience. Sean speaks Arabic and worked in the Middle East for 17 years. He spent five years designing, developing and delivering bespoke analytical, training and capability enhancement programs in P/CVE and CT in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Sean was invited to relocate to Australia in 2019 on a Distinguished Talent visa. He has also worked with the RAND Corporation on research projects focused on violent extremism online. Sean holds a BA Hons (First Class) and MSc in Strategic Studies from the University of Wales, and a PhD in International Relations from the University of St Andrews where he is an Honorary Fellow.

Dr Levi West

Counter Terrorism

Levi is an internationally recognised expert in terrorism studies. Levi is a research fellow at the Australian National University. He previously led the post-graduate Terrorism and Security Studies program at Charles Sturt University, and he has delivered professional education to service academies globally. Levi has also contributed to coronial investigations and provided expert witness testimony in terrorism trials. Levi has led numerous international delegations including to Colombia, the US, and the UK. Levi holds a BA in Politics and International Studies, a Master of Policing, Intelligence, and Counter Terrorism, a Master of International Security Studies, and a PhD in Violent Propaganda from Victoria University.

Filip Hron

Negotiation and Human Dynamics

Filip is an expert on human dynamics and decision science in complex environments. He has 20 years' experience as a negotiator, and maintains multiple accreditations in hostage negotiation. Filip has advised on negotiations in 44 countries, and delivered 450 courses for 15,000 participants. Filip’s courses have been incorporated into training continuums within military, law enforcement, corrections, and top-tier academic institutions in 15 countries. Filip published the book Negotiation Evolved, and has since researched two books on hostage negotiation. Filip holds a Bachelor of Computing, an MBA (INSEAD), and has undertaken postgraduate studies in intelligence analysis, special operations, and crisis negotiation.