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Macquarie Bank is an international investment and financial institution based in Sydney, Australia. Throughout Australia, it is entirely an investment bank that provides various products and services in financial trade. But in the Asia Pacific area, it embraces a wider scope of services that caters to the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and America. Its focus lies on its expertise in providing value to various clients from business entities of several regions.

Macquarie Bank's exceptional structure and management style are some of its major strengths. These are made possible through freedom of operations by means of balancing the risks with the current professional standards of management. The staff also abides by this management approach for high standards of entrepreneurship. As such, Macquarie Bank lives in an entrepreneurial culture that is largely based on a very strong management approach. It maintains its focus on the risks that go together with the industry and market that it belongs to. Other factors of its management culture are in client commitment, growth commitment, maintaining and influencing a high level of professional and ethical standards, recruitment, motivation, retaining quality staff, staff rewards that are aligned with those of shareholders as well as strong reporting skills, which include financial and risk reporting.

Since risk is a vital part of any kind of business, risk management is also important to Macquarie Bank. This is part of the reasons why it remains to be profitable and successful all these years. Where there is risk involved, it makes sure that it is calculated as well as controlled. The major risks that Macquarie bank is constantly faced with are equity, credit, liquidity, market, operational, documentation, and legal compliance risks. To assess and manage these risks, the bank has employed a Risk Management Group or RMG. It follows that management principles of independence, centralized prudential management, prior approval of business activities, and risks assessment and monitoring.

The Macquarie Bank's operations is divided into seven groups in production and marketing sectors. These are the Investment Banking Group, Treasury and Commodities, Equity Markets, Real Estate, Bankding and Securitization, Financial Services, and Funds Management Groups.

Since 1992, Macquarie Bank has consistently been profitable and successful. To date, it already has a total of about 10,000 employees located in different countries. And according to the income year-end report dated March 31, 2007, 55% of its income is acquired through its international activities.

History

Macquarie Bank started out with the name Hill Samuel Australia Limited (commonly known as HSA) in 1969 as a subsidiary of Hill Samuel & Co., a United Kingdom merchant bank. During its pilot operations in January of 1970 it only had three operating staff.

In the year 1981 a financial markets deregulation took place. Because of this, the then HSA worked for a proposal to be considered as a trading bank. Fortunately in February 28, 1985, the Federal Treasurer bestowed a license on HSA to be allowed to operate under the name Macquarie Bank Limited. During that time, it was only the second private trading bank to operate in the whole of Australia.

The name of Macquarie Bank came from the name of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. He hailed from the early settlement period in Australia and is the pioneer in the transformation of the country from a penal colony to being a powerful economy. He also introduced the "Holey Dollar" that was the domestic coinage used during that era of the penal colony in 1813. This "Holey Dollar" has also become the inspiration for the current logo of Macquarie Bank.

In March 1, 1985, Macquarie Bank started its operations as a retail branch located in Sydney, taking over all of HSA's existing business transactions and activities. After a few months, it had also opened a trading branch in Melbourne. Another trading branch was opened in Brisbane in November of 1986,

In July 29, 1996, Macquarie Bank had already paid ordinary shares in full to be quoted in the Australian Stock Exchange. Come October 30, 1996, it entered the All Ordinaries Index of the Australian Stock Exchange with about $1.3 billion worth of market capitalization. To date, it has earned its position as a market leader in banking and financial industries. It has a wide range of products and services that fall under commercial and investment banking as well as retail financial services markets in Australia and in other countries.

Macquarie Bank is the only investment bank that is largely Australian-owned. It is also a trading bank that is licensed according to the Australian Banking Act of 1959.

Overview of Products and Services

• Macquarie Bank provides products and services that caters to various types of people, from personal banking needs, to businesses, and even for corporations, institutions, and government organizations.
• For personal banking needs, Macquarie Bank offers a good variety of products and services. These are cash management trusts and fixed interest; investment, home, and personal loans; a number of managed investment products; property products; retirement funds and superannuation products; platinum and rate-saver credit cards; full-service stock broking; and specialized investment products. Because of these, no home or personal needs will remain unanswered when it comes to Macquarie Bank products and services.
• On the other hand, small or medium business owners also comprise the wide range of clientele of Macquarie Bank. Entrepreneurs can enjoy various products and services like business banking, investment and superannuation services, financing of IT equipment, property services, venture capital funding, and financial marketing information and activities. Macquarie Bank highly values these clients and offer them the best suitable solutions that will benefit their businesses. From financing or leasing solutions, to a wide range of investment options, specialized banking solutions, as well as advisory and risk management services, no business need will be left out.
• Macquarie Bank also caters to corporations, institutions, and government organizations. These entities can acquire various products and services like corporate advising, fund raising, leasing, structured financing, and secured lending. The bank also offers investment services such as fund management as well as private capital and specialized funding. The usual funding that Macquarie bank may approve are those infrastructure, technology, hedge, property trusts, or private capital placement needs. It can also help in financial market management through advisory services, OTC or over-the-counter derivatives, and future listed derivatives. It also provides help in managing price risk factors for agricultural, metals, and mining commodities. And lastly, it may also offer advice, research, and recommendation for those who plan to buy shares from the list of companies in the Australian Stock Exchange.
• Any existing client of Macquarie Bank can access his or her account online upon registration. Complete information about the available products and services can easily be accessed through the bank's website.