He was appointed Professor of International Relations and Deputy VC International at the University of Melbourne in 2019,[1] and was previously Dean of the College of Asia and the Pacific and professor at The Australian National University.

Wesley was born in India but moved to Australia with his parents aged four years old.

[5] He served as co-chairman of the Security and Prosperity working group at then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Australia 2020 Summit in 2008.

He worked as Executive Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy from June 2009 to August 2012.

Michael Wesley has authored several books on foreign policy, including: