I'm sure there are a number of business persons who choose to remain anonymous to the wider public while being somewhat visible to the government. Family office

I'm sure there are a number of business persons who choose to remain anonymous to the wider public while being somewhat visible to the government. Family offices are a very common example - the public doesn't know much about you, but the government still does. Eventually, depending on how much you grow, the government will force more disclosures out of your business, but you may also become better connected by then. That being said, in my experience, it is extremely hard to make new contacts or approach government for projects, since they go by name recognition, which you chose to forgo. For example, my firm has a few "side" projects in the Middle East, India and South America, but we could not push through without a local partner who was the face to the government agencies, or my prior contacts in the government.