Jeremy Greenwood, who worked for Mr Canavan in Canberra in 2017, gave evidence at the NSW Independent Commission against Corruption on Monday.
It was the latest revelation in the third week of hearings for Operation Rosny, which has been investigating alleged illicit political donations and branch-stacking spearheaded by the so-called Reformers faction.
They were a conservative Christian cohort among state Liberals that was formed around 2018 in an attempt to influence the party's policy-making.
Smiling while appearing in the stand, Mr Greenwood denied having strong links with the conservative faction.
"I may have given verbal advice ... most of the engagement I had with these guys was at a pub or I've been dragged into a group chat," he said.
"I'm not someone who's an ideologue."
The 37-year-old disagreed he was assisting the group on crafting specific policy responses to lighting-rod issues such as abortion.
As a lobbyist, he counted controversial Sydney property developer Jean Nassif among his clients for at least two years
"(Nassif) had a lot of media issues at the time," Mr Greenwood said.
"We worked ... on a fair few projects."
The lobbyist also did not shy away from his friendship with Sharangan Maheswaran, another person named in the probe.
Mr Maheswaran was an employee of Nassif's property company, Toplace, before becoming a Strathfield Labor councillor.
He is accused of blackmailing the council's mayor.
"I like people from Labor - they're fun to hang out with," Mr Greenwood told the inquiry.
He acknowledged connecting Mr Maheswaran with a private detective due to the duo's shared Sri Lankan heritage.
Christian Ellis, another political staffer who worked for Senator Canavan, has also been named as a person of interest in the integrity inquiry.
Described as an Anglophile by his friend Mr Greenwood, with whom he set up lobbying firm Beckington, Mr Ellis moved to London earlier in 2026.
He is yet to appear before the probe, but Mr Greenwood said his former colleague wanted to give evidence.
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