As the Vice President and Regional Head of Government and Public Policy for Asia Pacific at Google, Michaela Browning oversaw the company’s interactions with governments, institutions, businesses, and civil society stakeholders in the region.

Prior to this, Michaela held a range of senior positions in the Australian government, including as a senior diplomat of over 27 years with a focus on Asia, trade and security, including a number of senior roles responsible for strengthening Australia’s relationship with Japan.

She was the inaugural CEO of the National Foundation for Australia China Relations in 2020. She served as Australia’s Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau from 2017 to 2020, and on diplomatic missions in Singapore and Thailand. She also served as senior international adviser to Australian foreign and defense ministers.

Michaela has held senior trade and economic roles including leading global investment promotion activities, and leading Australia’s established markets operations for Australia’s trade and investment commission. She previously led Australia’s development assistance program for Afghanistan and Pakistan, was a trade negotiator to the WTO and for Australia’s free trade agreements with the US and Singapore. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the board of CPA Australia, an Ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation, and advisory committee roles in education and humanitarian disaster response organisations.

She has a Bachelor of Economics and Masters in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University, with a focus on Japan and Japanese language.