Michaela Browning joined Google in November 2021 as vice-president for government affairs and public policy for Asia and the Pacific. Prior to joining Google, she held a range of senior positions in the Australian government as a career diplomat, with over 27 years of experience focusing on the Asia–Pacific, international trade and investment, security, and economic development.
She was most recently the inaugural CEO of the National Foundation for Australia–China Relations. She has served on diplomatic postings in Singapore, Thailand and, most recently, as Australia’s consul general to Hong Kong, China and Macau, China from 2017 to 2020. She has been senior international adviser to the Australian defense and foreign ministers.
Browning has also held senior trade and investment policy and operational roles, including at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), where she led global investment promotion activities for Australia, and led trade and investment for established markets (including Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, North America, and Europe). She previously managed Australian Aid’s development program for Afghanistan and Pakistan. She has also represented Australia as an agriculture negotiator for the World Trade Organization’s Doha round. She negotiated competition, telecommunications, and other chapters of Australia's free trade agreements with the United States and Singapore.
She is one of Australia’s members of the APEC Business Advisory Council and on the board of the Australia Japan Business Co-operation Committee and of the Asia Society (Australia Chapter). She is an advisory board member for the Asian Development Bank. She is also an ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. She has previously served on boards for professional services, education, veterans volunteer, and disaster response organizations.
Browning is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She holds a master’s degree in foreign affairs and trade and a bachelor’s degree in economics, with honors, both from Monash University.
She is passionate about Asia and now lives in Singapore.