Michael is a financial industry executive and consultant who worked in Japan for 25 years with large corporate firms, and, for the past three years has worked as the Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, North Asia at Investment NSW based in Tokyo.
He has undergraduate degrees is in both Economics and Japanese Studies, a Master of Management from Macquarie Graduate School of Management in 2004, and post his graduation he moved to Tokyo as a sales executive for Nikko Securities. He was an analyst for ABN AMRO working in the Aerospace, Defence and other industries between London and Tokyo between 1999 and 2003.
Michael moved fully back to Japan in 2004 as Head of Sales for HSBC Securities. From 2007 to 2015 Michael was Division Director and Country Head of Macquarie Capital Securities Japan, a role he held alongside roles in Research, Client Audit and M&A. Michael covered the auto industry in Japan where he frequently visited Korea to understand the developments in the Korean auto industry, including the steel and technology sectors which were vital to understand the competitive advantages of both countries. Early in 2015 Michael returned to Australia, based in Sydney, and has continued to lead his own advisory business, Ginga Vale Investments working largely between Sydney, Tokyo and Seoul.
Michael has a very well-informed understanding of Japanese business, culture and language which he has practised for over 20 years. His major focus in recent years has been advising Japanese and Korean companies about investments and government interaction in Australia, but he has also advised Australian companies regarding investments in Japan and the Republic of Korea.
