Michaela Browning

Michaela Browning is a Senior Advisor with over 30 years’ experience in diplomacy, public policy, defence, technology and international business. She advises clients on navigating complex, political, regulatory and commercial developments across Asia Pacific, especially in the technology, security, infrastructure, energy and resources sectors.

Michaela previously served as CEO for Asia Pacific, leading the firm’s regional strategy, client engagement and advisory activities.

Prior to joining the firm, Michaela was Vice President and Regional Head of Government and Public Policy for Asia Pacific at Google, overseeing the company’s interactions with governments, institutional and corporate policy partners, and civil society stakeholders across the region. She also sat on the Asia Pacific Operations, Global Affairs and Risk leadership committees.

Michaela held a range of senior positions in the Australian government prior to this, including more than 27 years as a senior diplomat with a focus on Asia, trade and security. This included roles as Consul General for Hong Kong and Macau (2017–2020), inaugural CEO of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations (2020), leading global investment promotion and trade negotiation teams and negotiating key Free Trade Agreements, and acting as Senior International Adviser to Australian Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs.

Michaela serves on a number of Boards. She is a Prime Minister-appointed Australian representative to the APEC Business Advisory Council, leading work on AI and quantum. She is a Non-Executive Director of Singtel Optus. She also sits on the boards of the Asia Society, Blue Forge Alliance Australia, and the Australia Japan Business Co-Operation Committee (AJBCC) where she co-chairs the Defence Security and Space subcommittee. 

She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) and a Master of Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.