Michael commenced as Group Chief Executive of eWater Limited in January 2022, having previously
served as Chief Executive of the Australian Water Partnership. Michael joined eWater following a
25-year career in international development, national security and sustainable development policy,
including as head of the Australian aid program in mainland southeast Asia (2011–14) based in
Hanoi, Vietnam. He then headed practices within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
working on political governance; water resource management, sanitation and hygiene; and the
effective delivery of development assistance in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
Michael has also worked in the private sector, including as a partner at global development company
Palladium International, in management consultancy and as a principal consultant with a global
human resources firm.
Michael has worked on development cooperation strategies and programming across Asia, the
Pacific and the Middle East. As Coordinator on Gender Equality in the Australian Agency for
International Development (AusAID), he designed and oversaw new initiatives and performance
standards aimed at driving gender equity, women’s economic empowerment and women in
leadership objectives across the Australian aid program.
Earlier in his career, Michael headed the International Section of the former federal Department of
the Environment and Heritage, was a Principal Policy Adviser at the Australian Federal Police, and
worked as a policy adviser to federal Ministers in the environment, trade and arts portfolios.
Michael holds a BA (Hons) in Political Science from the Australian National University and an MSc in
International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science.