Michael Josem has over a decade of experience as a senior business leader serving in various high-tech and online industries. He currently provides marketing and publicity services for various brands.

Work

Early in his career, Josem served various members of the Australian Parliament. During this time, he became a globally-recognised data visualisation expert and played a key role in uncovering a multi-million fraud in online poker (Sydney-Morning Hearld, 60 Minutes – CBS News, NBC News, The Register) which subsequently inspired Runner Runner, the 2013 movie starring Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck. Through that time, Michael was one of the world’s leading experts in identifying and taking action against the use of artificial intelligence in online environments (New York Times).

More recently, Josem has led marketing, communication and customer service teams at large global corporations and small start-up teams.

Volunteer

Michael Josem’s primary volunteer roles are for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, for Graih, the homelessness charity, and as a member of the Community Service Committee of the Rotary Club of Douglas, IOM. Further, he serves as a volunteer board/committee member for the Manx TaxPayers’ Alliance and the Manx Hockey Association. He also serves as a connector, communicator and catalyst for various other local Manx charities.

Study and Starting Work

After finishing high school in Melbourne, Australia, and receiving a ranking that placed him in the top 5% of high school students, he attended Monash University. While studying at Monash University, he worked part-time at the local football ground as a customer service assistant and ground announcer. He also worked part-time for the late Senator Tsebin Tchen, an inspirational community leader and public servant.

Subsequently, he served two terms as President of the Monash University Student Union and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Policy Studies). During this time, he and his good friend and predecessor, Tim Wilson, played a key role in forcing the Victorian State Government to discount public transport travel for university students.

After university, Josem worked for various members of the Australian House of Representatives, helping to fight for the interests of rural residents in Australia.

Data Expert from Rural Australia to PokerStars

While living in the Australian country town of Wangaratta, Josem played a key role in detecting fraud in the online poker industry by management insiders. As a consumer advocate for safe and responsible online gambling, he appeared in the Washington Post, USA’s 60 Minutes, the Sydney Morning Herald, and elsewhere. This story was documented in the movie ‘Ultimatebeat – Too Much to Lose’ – but most importantly, it helped to achieve around $20,000,000 in refunds for the victims of the fraud.

Josem was subsequently contacted and hired by PokerStars, where he led teams to combat fraud against players as the Senior Manager for Game Security, and then served as the Head of Public Relations for several years.

Runner Runner

Josem’s experience of using data and analysis to uncover cheating in online poker was a key inspiration for the 20th Century Fox movie ‘Runner Runner‘. In the movie, Justin Timberlake’s character – based in part on Michael Josem – travelled to live in the sunny Caribbean – which is basically just like the Isle of Man.

Working in the Isle of Man

After leaving PokerStars in early 2017, Josem left the online gaming industry, and as a start-up entrepreneur, served as the Head of Customer Growth for Jobhawk, an Android and iOS app which connected workers with jobs in the building and construction industry. In that role, he provided customer service across many different channels, and led an online digital marketing campaign helping to empower blue-collar workers.

He has also helped promote the rejuvenation of central Douglas with Kelproperties Ltd., and formerly worked part-time for the Manx Cooperative Society to connect with various local charities on the Isle of Man.

Community Engagement

Josem serves many different community organisations.

He is a volunteer speaker and helps to maintain graves on the Isle of Man for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), and is also a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation. You can book Michael for a talk for your business, school, or community group about the Isle of Man and Commonwealth war stories through the CWGC website here.

Josem is a life member of the Manx Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and a member of various other organisations including the Isle of Man Business Network, Institute of Directors, Friends of Manx National Heritage, Manx Wildlife Trust, Manx Credit Union, Isle of Man Woodland Trust, the Celtic League, Unherd.com, the Free Speech Union, Isle of Man Friends of Israel, Rotary Club of Douglas, IOM, and others.

His membership of the Liberal Vannin Party concluded on 17 March 2024.

Sport

Josem is a member of, and serves on the boards of the Manx Hockey Association and Castletown Hockey Club, to offset his generally terrible skill at playing the sport of hockey.

Josem is a member of Isle of Man Netball and served as the Captain of the Men’s Isle of Man Netball Team in the first match against Guernsey. His preferred position is Goal Shooter.

Josem is a member of FC Isle of Man which competes in the North West Counties Football League. He is also a member of British Cycling. Beyond the Isle of Man, he remains a member of the Hawthorn Football Club and the Melbourne Cricket Club.

Michael has a long-term leasehold on his home at 1 Hillary Wharf, South Quay, Douglas, IM1 5BL.