Michael Hanrahan: Sixteen years of growth, global impact and leading through change

When Michael Hanrahan joined Ericsson's graduate program in 2010, he expected to build a career in telecommunications. What he didn't expect was that it would take him across Asia, into the rollout of some of the region's first 5G networks, and even into humanitarian deployments supporting the United Nations.

 

A career that quickly became global

After completing his telecommunications engineering degree in Melbourne, Michael joined Ericsson as a graduate Integration Engineer.

"My first role was as an Integration Engineer, and that's where my career journey began," he says.

Within just a few years, he was travelling throughout Asia, presenting technical solutions, sharing knowledge and supporting delivery teams across Indonesia, India, Vietnam and other markets.

"That was probably the moment I realised just how global Ericsson really is. Even though I was based in Australia, I was working with teams across the region, learning from different cultures and solving different challenges."

Those early experiences shaped the direction of his career. Today, Michael leads large-scale customer programs across Asia Pacific, overseeing the introduction of new radio hardware, software and network capabilities while managing geographically distributed teams delivering some of Ericsson's most critical customer outcomes.

 

Growing through change

Michael's career has evolved alongside one of the fastest-moving industries in the world.

Following his early engineering roles, he became Integration Manager during Telstra's major network rollout before moving into a regional Program Manager position focused on Radio Networks across Asia Pacific. There, he helped introduce automation, streamline delivery processes and support the rollout of new technologies across multiple countries.

Then came one of the industry's biggest transformations: 5G.

"When Ericsson started introducing 5G, I took on a program overseeing some of the first 5G testing across Asia," Michael recalls. "We were working in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Vietnam. It was an incredibly exciting time because everyone knew we were helping build the next generation of mobile networks."

For Michael, the transition to 5G represented far more than faster mobile speeds.

"It completely changed how we think about building and operating networks. That's one of the things I enjoy most about working in telecommunications—you're constantly adapting to new technologies, solving new problems and continuing to learn."

Even after sixteen years with Ericsson, that sense of continuous development remains one of his biggest motivations.

"I still feel like I'm learning every day."

 

Leading through disruption

One of the defining leadership moments of Michael's career came during Telstra's network rollout.

Midway through the program, the delivery model changed significantly, transitioning our remote delivery from China to a new team based in India—all while maintaining the pace of one of Australia's largest network deployments.

"My role was to bring the new team on board, train them, integrate them with our Australian engineers and make sure we didn't lose momentum," he says.

The transition required multiple trips to India, extensive documentation, new operating processes and comprehensive technical training.

"It was a very demanding period with long hours and a lot of pressure, but it also showed what can be achieved when everyone works towards the same goal."

Despite the scale of the transition, the program continued to meet its delivery objectives, reinforcing an important leadership lesson.

"Strong planning is important, but so is building trust. When people understand the objective and work together, you can overcome some incredibly complex challenges."

 

Creating an environment where people succeed

Today, Michael leads a diverse team of engineers, solution architects, project managers, transport specialists and finance professionals.

The team brings together experienced Ericsson experts with decades of industry knowledge alongside engineers who are only beginning their careers. They span different ages, cultures and backgrounds, with a strong mix of male and female colleagues and a variety of career paths into telecoms.

"We have people with more than twenty years at Ericsson working alongside people who've only recently joined. Everyone brings something different, whether that's technical expertise, fresh ideas or different perspectives."

For Michael, leadership is less about having all the answers and more about creating an environment where talented people can succeed.

"My role is to make sure everyone understands the objectives, has the support they need and can contribute in the way they do best. When you have great people, your job is really about helping them perform at their highest level."

 

Why Ericsson stands out

Having started his own career through Ericsson's graduate program, Michael believes one of the company's greatest strengths is the breadth of opportunities available.

"Ericsson is such a global organisation that even if you begin on a local project, there are opportunities to work with teams all over the world."

He says employees benefit not only from international collaboration but also from the company's ability to share knowledge and best practice between markets.

"You see how innovations developed in one country can be applied somewhere else. You work with people from different backgrounds, different experiences and different ways of thinking. That gives you exposure you simply wouldn't get in many other organisations."

He also believes Ericsson offers the flexibility for graduates to shape careers around their own strengths.

"If you enjoy customer engagement and presenting, there are opportunities to move in that direction. If you love solving technical problems, software or automation, you can build your career there too. There are so many different pathways available."

Michael Hanrahan's 16-year journey of growth, global impact and leadership at Ericsson.

 

Making a difference beyond telecommunications

Outside his day-to-day responsibilities, Michael volunteers with Ericsson Response, the company's global humanitarian program that provides emergency communications support during disasters in partnership with the United Nations and other humanitarian organisations.

"It's one of the parts of Ericsson I'm most proud to be involved with," he says.

Ericsson Response consists of a relatively small network of trained volunteers from around the world who can be deployed when disasters disrupt critical communications infrastructure.

"When disasters happen, communications become essential. People need to contact family, humanitarian organisations need to coordinate their response and governments need reliable networks. Being able to contribute to that is incredibly meaningful."

The experience has reinforced for Michael that telecommunications is about far more than technology.

"When you see how important connectivity becomes during a crisis, you realise the work we do has a genuine impact on people's lives."

 

Sixteen years—and still learning

Looking back, Michael says the reason he has stayed with Ericsson is surprisingly simple.

"I've had the opportunity to keep growing."

Over sixteen years, that growth has come through new roles, larger programs, international collaboration and constant technological change.

But perhaps more importantly, it has come through the people.

"I've been fortunate to work with some incredibly talented people throughout my career. Watching what they achieve and seeing how they're constantly pushing the boundaries of technology is both humbling and motivating."

His advice to graduates considering Ericsson reflects his own experience.

“Wherever you see your career heading—whether that’s engineering, leadership, customer engagement or technical innovation—Ericsson gives you the opportunity to keep developing. If you’re prepared to keep learning, there are incredible opportunities to grow.”

After sixteen years, Michael still approaches each new challenge with the same curiosity he had as a graduate engineer. It’s that curiosity—combined with the opportunity to work with diverse teams and make a tangible impact on how networks serve people—that continues to make his journey at Ericsson worth pursuing.

 

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