Every technical expert eventually meets the same moment: the day the skills that built the career stop being the ones the next chair demands. For Michael, that moment arrived early, and it reshaped almost everything that followed.

From the Lab to the Leadership Chair

While doing postgraduate work on polylactic acid and biodegradable polymer systems at the University of Queensland, Michael was introduced to a local rubber manufacturer whose technical manager was retiring after more than 40 years in the industry. What began as a part-time consulting position soon turned into a full-time technical position.

“What I loved about the material was that it solves problems. Vibration, sealing, dampening, dynamic properties, abrasion resistance. The applications run across almost every industry that matters. In one week, the conversations would move from mining to defence to transportation to agriculture.”

Although this was not an intended career, Michael spent more than two decades in rubber manufacturing; first as Technical Manager at Allied Rubber Technologies, then as General Manager and later Chief Executive Officer at Derby Rubber. From there, Michael moved further into executive leadership, taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer at KELLY Tillage.

Where the ILF Fitted In

Michael’s ILF grant came in 2022, between his role as CEO at Derby Rubber, and COO at KELLY Tillage. Michael attended the Advanced Management Program at the Melbourne Business School. During the 11-day intensive course, he also explored the Leadership Circle 360, an exercise highlighting leadership strengths and areas for improvement.

“It was a humbling experience that reinforced my commitment to continuous improvement.”

That same year, Michael became the inaugural recipient of the Seeley International Imagineering Award, recognising the innovation he has brought to rubber manufacturing throughout his career.

Giving Back to the Rubber Industry

Leadership and growth are most definitely recurring threads through Michael’s career, moving from industry service to executive leadership, while returning to the industry that has shaped his career. Michael is Co-Founder of The Rubber Initiative and spent thirteen years chairing the Australasian Plastics and Rubber Institute. He currently holds the global role of Executive Chair of the International Rubber Conference Organisation. Through The Rubber Initiative, Michael also works as a fractional executive, partnering with business owners and executive teams to turn strategy on the page into delivered results.

There is currently a generational handover occurring within the rubber industry, with many who hold decades of industry knowledge soon to reach the age of retirement, with the next generation of leaders lacking sufficient experience. As a means to address this, Michael co-created the rubber industry’s next-generation leadership workshop, designed to manage the industry’s generational handover. Demand for the programme is global, with sessions already booked internationally, including the United States, Europe and India.

Giving Back to the Network

Since joining the ILF Scholars Network Committee in 2025, Michael has taken on the roles of Workshop Coordinator and Deputy Chair.

“I joined the ILFSN to give back to a network that has supported me. The connections between scholars and the experiences we share are the most valuable part of being an ILF scholar, and as Workshop Coordinator, I want to use the training and events we run to strengthen them. That’s the best way I can repay what the fund has given me.”

Closing Reflection

The lesson that has stayed with him longest is a simple one: lead as the person you are, not the person you think a leader should be. The leaders worth following, he says, are the ones who stay recognisably themselves. The real work of leadership is becoming more honest about who that is, over time.

That work, he suggests, is never really finished. It just keeps asking better questions of the person doing it.