Michael commenced work at the Financial Markets Authority in late April 2021 as a senior solicitor. Prior to that he was Head of Legal at Cigna Insurance NZ from January 2016. He held a number of additional roles at Cigna at various times including Executive Director, Head of Compliance and Chief Risk Officer. His roles for 2020-2021 were General Counsel and General Manager Governance. In these roles he had overall responsibility for all legal matters, corporate governance and regulatory affairs. 

Michael is an active member of the NZ Institute of Directors, and the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce. He has had a number of governance roles in his career – prior to becoming a National Board Member for SVDP he was for 3 years a director of a company owned by Mary Potter Hospice undertaking a $17m property development.

He is also a leading insurance law specialist. With over 30 years’ experience providing legal advice to the insurance sector, Michael is renowned for his depth of knowledge of the insurance industry. 

Prior to joining Cigna in 2016 Michael was senior partner at Mahony Burrowes Horner, Barristers and Solicitors. MBH had its roots in Burrowes and Company, a boutique Wellington law firm established by Michael in 1997. Prior to establishing Burrowes and Company, Michael was a partner at the national law firm Dentons Kensington Swan for 11 years. He holds an LLB (Hons) degree from Victoria University.