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Excellence under pressure: Michael Clohesy’s journey into media

Across his journey into media, Michael Clohesy says one of the most valuable lessons he learned was to embrace challenges as catalysts for growth

Michael Clohesy
Photo courtesy of Michael Clohesy
Photo courtesy of Michael Clohesy

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For over a decade, Michael Clohesy has had an extensive and varied career that has seen him leap from one successful media position to another as both a broadcast technical director and technical producer. As Michael describes, “When you set your intention to something interesting, the universe provides.” 

Michael has worked with some of Australia’s leading broadcasters and production companies, including ABC, Network Ten, Channel Seven, NEP Group, and Gravity Media. These experiences taught him how to seamlessly blend technical precision with creative vision, ensuring each event resonated with live and global audiences. Beyond that, though, each role allowed him to develop a reputation as a trusted media professional capable of delivering results in high-pressure environments.

Michael’s career reached new heights when he expanded internationally by joining TED Conferences as a technical producer, a role he secured just six weeks after relocating to Vancouver, Canada. Here, as a natural extrapolation of his Technical Director skillset, he plays an instrumental role in designing and executing world-class live simulcast experiences for attendees from around the world. His role is to design, build and oversee the complex AV technical systems that allow these speakers’ presentations to be broadcast in real-time for the enhanced experience of the thousands of attendees partaking in the multi-sensory adult wonderland that is the TED live experience. 

“Throughout my tenure with TED, I have always strived to reflect TED’s mission statement of discovering and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepening understanding, and driving meaningful change as they align with my personal and professional values of showing up in the world,” Michael says.

Throughout his tenure at TED, Michael has helped give a platform to contemporary thought leaders such as Elon Musk, Al Gore, RuPaul Charles, Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova, Scott Galloway, Malcolm Gladwell, and Bill Gates. His technical expertise also led to memorable moments being in the room where it happened outside of TED, including filming Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressing an assembly of First Nations peoples, and His Holiness, The Pope during Pope Francis’ 2022 apostolic apology tour.

Beyond TED, Michael’s internationally developed skillset in technical direction and video and event production has opened doors to working with global brands such as Netflix, Mercedes and Red Bull, as well as working alongside superstars like Owen Wilson for Apple.

Outside of his professional accomplishments, Michael has also pursued creative ventures. He was a quarterfinalist in the 2017 PAGE International Screenwriting Competition and has had readings of his horror-thriller short “Muanga” performed on stage at the Fantasy Sci-Fi Film & Writing Festival in Los Angeles. He also won recognition for a scene from his ecological mystery “BIOS” at the 2018 Wildsound Festival and attended the Stowe Story Lab writing retreat in 2022 in Ireland, learning from industry leaders in the UK and the U.S.

Across his journey into media, Michael Clohesy says one of the most valuable lessons he learned was to embrace challenges as catalysts for growth, harness creative potential, and cultivate a life enriched by exploration, gratitude, and meaningful connections. Michael’s will and career were tested during the lockdowns, but he remained strong and optimistic and persevered, emerging stronger and more resilient than ever. As he details, “Through storytelling, transformative experiences, and a relentless commitment to resilience and adaptability, I aim to empower others to reimagine success, pursue their passions with intention, and create extraordinary moments in both their personal and professional lives.”

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Written By

Jon Stojan is a professional writer based in Wisconsin. He guides editorial teams consisting of writers across the US to help them become more skilled and diverse writers. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife and children.

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