Max has a PhD in Economics from the Australian National University (Canberra, Australia), a MSc Econ from the LSE (1992) and Laurea from Bocconi University (1989). He works as a professor in the School of Business at the University of New South Wales (Canberra), Australia. Before moving to Australia in 1999 he worked in banking.

Research work and interests centre on skills and skilled international migration, knowledge effects of people's movements, and the labour market for graduates.

He joined IZA as a Research Fellow in October 2005 and was a Senior Research Associate from January 2014 until December 2015.