Executive Biographies

John leads the Corporate External and Legal Affairs team at Microsoft, which is responsible for providing commercial legal counsel, regulatory compliance, and public policy advocacy outreach across Australia and New Zealand.

Before assuming this role, John held several key positions at Microsoft. From 2015 to 2023, he served as the General Manager for Global Public Affairs at Microsoft’s global headquarters. In this role he led a team that supported the company’s international network of government and corporate affairs professionals in advancing Microsoft’s public policy, commercial, and societal impact goals. From 2009 to 2014, John was the Regional Director for Government Relations, where he coordinated Microsoft’s public policy, government affairs, and industry relations across the Asia-Pacific region. From 2006 to 2009, he served as the Director of Corporate Affairs & Citizenship for Microsoft Australia, overseeing government and industry engagement, community affairs, and the company’s corporate citizenship strategy.

Prior to joining Microsoft, John was the Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at BAT Australasia for over seven years and from 1993 to 1998 held several senior advisory positions in Australian federal politics, including the roles of Manager of Media and Communication for the Liberal Party of Australia and Acting Executive Director for the Menzies Research Centre.

John currently serves on the board of the Public Affairs Council and the Global Partnership for LGBTI Equality. He has previously served on the board of the Asia Cloud Computing Association, US-ASEAN Business Council, and World Affairs Council.

John holds degrees in Business Communication from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and in Political Science from the Australian National University (ANU). He resides in Sydney with his husband, Jamie.