New Macquarie CEO Greg Ward moves to retain the rivals he beat to the role
He was chosen ahead of asset management chief Ben Way and investment banking boss Michael Silverton for the high profile position. Analysts fear it could trigger departures.
Incoming Macquarie Group chief executive Greg Ward has moved to praise the senior executives he beat out for the top job at the $100 billion investment titan in a sign he is eager to keep its existing leadership in tact.
Ward, who previously ran Macquarie’s booming Australian banking business was chosen as the next leader of the ‘millionaire factory’ on Thursday, a decision chair Glenn Stevens said was only made in the preceding 24 hours.
He replaces Shemara Wikramanayake, who had been in the high profile role for nearly eight years. Other contenders for the position included Ben Way, head of the company’s asset management division, and Michael Silverton the leader of Macquarie Capital, its investment bank.
“We’ve got an amazing senior leadership team here...some incredibly inspiring people, and I’m looking forward to working with that team to continue the Macquarie story,” Ward said on a media call.
