Michael Johnson is CEO of Asia Star Capital (ASC), a private investment advisory business that also facilitates commercial opportunities between Australia and Asia with a particular focus on China, India and Korea. Asia Star Capital’s clients include global and Australian companies in the broad resources and energy sector, in aviation manufacturing, renewable energy, financial services, new technology, health and lifestyle, sport and media. Michael is also a regular guest commentator on Australian national television analysing Federal politics. Michael’s business stems from an inner passion to deepen Australia’s political, commercial and social ties with all of Asia and a fundamental belief in the strategic importance of a prosperous Asia to Australia’s own economic and national security.

Michael was previously one of the youngest Members of the Australian Parliament when he was elected at aged 31 to represent the Federal District of ‘Ryan’ in Brisbane. Elected in 2001, 2004 and 2007, Michael was the first Member to have a part Chinese heritage. During his three terms in the Federal Parliament, Michael was at the forefront of connecting Australian businesses and entrepreneurs with the dynamic economies and entrepreneurs of Asia. He was elected by the Australian Parliament as Chairman of the Australia-Korea Parliamentary Group, Vice-Chairman of the Australia-China Parliamentary Group and Secretary of the Australia-India Parliamentary Group of the Federal Parliament. Michael also sat on the Government's Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Committee. Michael was also appointed Federal Opposition Whip in 2007 following the defeat of the Howard Government.

Born in Hong Kong, and passionate about strengthening Australian-Asian ties, Michael is a regular visitor to Asia. He frequently represented the Australian Government and Australian Parliament at international conferences and summits and led Australia's UN Observer Delegation to the Cambodian Parliamentary Elections in 2003. He was the Australian Labor Government’s official Parliamentary Observer at the 2008 Mongolian Parliamentary Elections. Michael’s own deep commitment to engagement in Asia is seen in his April 2009 visit to North Korea where he remains one of only three Australian Members of Parliament to have visited Pyongyang (the other being former Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd and former Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer). He is a fervent and controversial advocate for permanent engagement and dialogue with the DPRK.

Michael has spoken at numerous conferences, events, and forums all over Asia and Europe including at the Boao Forum of Asia (BFA), The Fortune 500 Global CEO Conference, The Asia Society, The World Economic Forum (WEF), The Economist China Summit, The Europe-China Global Business Summits, The Asian-Strategic Leadership Institute’s Kuala Lumpur Summits and at the OECD in Paris. Representing Australia, Michael has also spoken at key Government Dialogues including the Australia-Korea Leadership Dialogue in Seoul and the Australia-Japan Leadership Dialogue in Tokyo. From 2005 to 2007, he was Co-Chairman of the Boao Forum Young Leaders Roundtable hosted by the BFA. Today, Michael sits on the International Advisory Council of the Asia Society and is a Member of the World Economic Forum'’ prestigious Young Global Leaders (YGL) Forum. He is also Chairman of the Australia-China Business Forum and a Director of Bipolar Expedition- a national not-for-profit organisation. He is a Fellow of the 21st First Century Trust and of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust.

Michael was educated St Peter's Lutheran College, Brisbane, and at the University of Queensland where he holds a double Arts/Law Degree. Winner of the Charles Hawker Cambridge Memorial Scholarship, and the British Chevening Scholarship, Michael is also a graduate of both the University of Cambridge and the University of Birmingham where he holds a double Masters Degree in international relations. He has also studied at Harvard where he completed an Executive Leaders Programme at the Kennedy School of Government. Michael has given numerous interviews on CNN, on China’s CCTV9, on Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. Michael has conducted interviews on all of Australia's major media networks. He has a love of sport, but especially rugby and cricket.

Michael lives in Brisbane, Queensland, with his wife, Huyen, and their four year old son, Ryan. Michael is 40.