Michael returned to Boston Consulting Group in 2017. He is a core member of the firm’s Global Advantage practice and a member of the Industrial Goods practice.

For more than 25 years, Michael has worked at the nexus of corporate strategy, public policy, and international geopolitics. He has been a member of the senior staff of the prime minister of a G7 country; a BCG principal; and a C-suite executive responsible for strategy, international trade, and international business development. He has successfully resolved trade disputes and/or market access barriers in the US, the EU, Russia, China, and Brazil. He has lived and worked in all three NAFTA countries, including running a Mexican manufacturing site with 225 unionized employees.

Michael began his career as a staffer in the Parliament of Canada, where he rose to become executive assistant to the prime minister. In this role, he participated in trade and diplomatic missions to 22 countries. He first joined BCG in 1995, working in the Toronto and Monterrey offices, and serving clients primarily in manufacturing. In 2001, he became a senior executive of Bombardier Inc., where he held leadership and C-suite roles in strategy, operations, international trade, and industrial services.

Michael is also fluent in French and Spanish.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

EDUCATION

  • M.I.A., international affairs, Columbia University
  • M.Sc., journalism, Columbia University
  • B.A., political studies, Queen’s University
  • Visiting Undergraduate, Harvard University

Publications and Videos

As Supply Chains Localize, Industrial Policy Springs Back - rectangle

As Supply Chains Localize, Industrial Policy Springs Back

The right design can generate substantial rewards, but intervention also poses big risks for policymakers.
The EU’s Carbon Border Tax Will Redefine Global Value Chains

The EU’s Carbon Border Tax Will Redefine Global Value Chains

Levies on emissions tied to imports will impact companies inside and outside the EU and could alter the competitive balance between nations in many industries.
How ASEAN Can Move Up the Manufacturing Value Chain - rectangle

How ASEAN Can Move Up the Manufacturing Value Chain

As a confluence of megatrends prompts companies to rethink their production and supply footprints, Southeast Asia is in a position to become a greater force in international trade.
Turning Geopolitical Risk into Strategic Advantage

Turning Geopolitical Risk into Strategic Advantage

Why do some companies always seem to emerge stronger from a period of volatility? Rather than focus just on mitigating potential harm, they look for opportunities to capitalize on the disruption.
How President-Elect Biden Will Approach Global Trade

How President-Elect Biden Will Approach Global Trade

The new administration will fight to advance and protect US economic interests—but America will no longer go it alone.
What’s at Stake If the US and China Really Decouple - rectangle

What’s at Stake If the US and China Really Decouple

Were the world’s biggest trading relationship to unwind, US companies would have more to lose than Chinese firms in terms of revenue and access to critical supplies.
10 Trillion Case for Open Trade

The $10 Trillion Case for Open Trade

Compared to a future of rising protectionism, fair trade would lead to gains of $2 trillion in global GDP annually, through 2025—and much faster economic recovery from COVID-19.
Designing Resilience into Global Supply Chains

Designing Resilience into Global Supply Chains

To address flaws exposed by the pandemic, companies should accelerate efforts to revamp their worldwide manufacturing and sourcing networks—even if that means extra cost.
Redrawing the Map of Global Trade

Redrawing the Map of Global Trade

Even when the global economy fully recovers, the international trade landscape will look dramatically different in the years ahead than it did before the pandemic.
how-an-eu-carbon-border-tax-could-jolt-world-trade-rectangle-tcm9-251990.jpg

How an EU Carbon Border Tax Could Jolt World Trade

Plans to tax CO2 emissions that are attributed to imports would hike costs for EU trade partners and redefine competitive advantage in many industries.
us-retailers-tariff-management-rectangle-opt-tcm9-238775.jpg

How US Retailers Can Master the Art of Tariff Management

The US−China trade deal leaves in place tariffs that add $31 billion in costs for US retailers. But there are ways to mitigate the hit.
manufacturing-strategy-built-for-trade-instability-rectangle-tcm9-238529.jpg

A Manufacturing Strategy Built for Trade Instability

Shifting tariffs grab the headlines, but the rise of Southeast Asia and differences in worker productivity are also altering the cost equation for global manufacturing.
Deep Expertise, Broad Experience