Michael set up Johnson Banks in 1992. His company is known for how they define, then design, brands that make a difference.

They work with people who want to do big things: tackle hunger; fight for an open internet; address child poverty; raise billions for innovation and education; bring culture and enlightenment to the world; create products that question the norm; shift paradigms and change lives.

They rebranded the pioneers of ethical investment, Acumen Fund, and undertook the world’s first truly ‘open’ rebrand for Mozilla. They rebranded Action Against Hunger across 54 countries, have worked for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation across four continents and in the UK they are rebranding RIBA (the Royal Institute of British Architects). Recently they have rebranded Duolingo, a UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the Royal Academy of Music. Their campaign for the University of Cambridge has just closed after seven years, raising nearly three billion dollars in the process.

Johnson oversees the strategic and creative output of the company but is just as likely to roll up his sleeves and get involved in the work himself. In spare moments he is visiting professor at Glasgow School of Art and a visiting lecturer at the University of Cambridge. He has written three books, including the transatlantic bestseller 'Branding: In five and a half steps', has won most of the design world’s key prizes (including seven ‘Yellow’ and one ‘Black’ Pencil from D&AD) and has dozens of designs in the V&A's permanent collection.

In 2017 he was awarded D&AD's highest honour, the President’s Award, joining a list of previous recipients that include Terence Conran, Ridley Scott, Wally Olins, Alan Parker and John Hegarty.