About Michelle Garnaut AO

Founder M Restaurant Group, ChinaAfter four decades leading the M Restaurant Group in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, Michelle left the restaurant industry in 2022. She’s now focused on social impact, supporting founders & new ventures, and mentoring women through Mentor Walks / FT Women in Business Asia Forum.The M Restaurant Group ran for 35 years. M at the Fringe opened in Hong Kong in 1989, quickly followed by M on the Bund in 1999, The Glamour Bar in 2006 and, later, Capital M in Beijing in 2009.

The restaurants earned her Time magazine’s praise as ‘the pioneer of China’s fashionable dining scene’ and her restaurants earned many honours, awards and international recognition over their lifetime.Her contributions to cultural life in China are equally celebrated. She conceived & ran the Shanghai (2003-2019) & Capital Literary Festivals (2012-2014), and the M Literary Residency program active in both China & India. She initiated the Shanghai Chamber Music Lovers and helped start the Shanghai Chamber Music Festival and Competition.She was also a founder of The Village People Project, focused on women’s health and sanitary upgrading in rural China and established Mentor Walks, in Beijing 2013 and Shanghai 2015. Mentor Walks where up-and-coming professional women can seek advice from experienced mentors now operates across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada and Dubai.Michelle is the recipient of many international honours, including the inaugural award in Food at the Advance Global Australian Awards.

She sits on various boards including the Advance Global Board (2016-2022). In 2015 Michelle was invited to the 'Legends Hall of Fame' which pays tribute to the leaders, ground breakers and visionaries of Australia and Victoria’s food and wine industry.In 2018, Ms Garnaut was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for ‘distinguished service to Australia-China relations as a restaurateur and entrepreneur, to the promotion of Australian food, film and design, as a supporter of literary and cultural programs, and as a role model.’ She served as a founding judge of the Cartier Women’s Initiative and is the recipient of other international business and not for profit honours.