Shemara Wikramanayake’s Macquarie Departure: Greg Ward Handover Explained, November 6, 2026

Last verified: November 6, 2026, 12:09 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time, Sydney (AEDT, UTC+11:00); 1:09 a.m. UTC.

Shemara Wikramanayake is scheduled to retire as Macquarie Group’s managing director and CEO on November 6, 2026, after almost eight years leading the Australian financial group. The board has already named veteran executive Greg Ward as her successor, with the appointment subject to necessary approvals, according to Macquarie’s July succession announcement.

The handover coincides with Wikramanayake’s final results as CEO. Macquarie reported net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders of A$2.478 billion for the six months ended September 30, 2026, up 50% from the corresponding period a year earlier. Ward is scheduled to join the group and bank boards on November 7, though the July announcement did not say whether all necessary approvals had been received.

Destaques

• Wikramanayake’s retirement and departure from the Macquarie Group and Macquarie Bank boards are effective November 6.
• The board selected Ward, the head of Banking and Financial Services, to succeed her; the announced appointment was subject to approvals.
• The company announced the succession in July, so the CEO selection has already been made.
• Her final half-year result showed profit up 50% year over year but down 22% from the previous six months.

Is Shemara Wikramanayake leaving Macquarie?

Yes. Macquarie announced on July 23 that Wikramanayake would retire from the top job and step down from the boards of both Macquarie Group Limited and Macquarie Bank Limited, effective November 6. The announcement described her departure as a retirement and did not give a detailed reason for its timing.

At the time of verification on November 6, the company’s stated effective date was the basis for the transition. Macquarie did not specify an hour for the handover in its announcement. Readers should therefore distinguish the stated dates from an independently confirmed announcement that the transition has already taken effect.

The succession has been public for more than three months. While searches for a possible CEO departure may suggest an unresolved question, Macquarie has identified both the departing executive and its chosen successor.

Who is Greg Ward, Macquarie’s incoming CEO?

Ward is a long-serving Macquarie executive who joined the group in 1996. He served as global chief financial officer for 14 years and later became deputy managing director. In 2013, he took charge of Banking and Financial Services, the division serving Australian personal banking, business banking and wealth management customers.

That background gives him experience in both group finances and the Australian banking operation. Macquarie’s announcement credits him with leading a repositioning of that business. His selection also means the board chose an internal leader who has worked alongside Wikramanayake for decades.

The appointment was announced subject to necessary approvals. The announcement reviewed for this article did not establish their subsequent status, so readers looking for formal confirmation should check Macquarie’s latest company and ASX announcements. Ward’s appointment to the Macquarie Group and Macquarie Bank boards was scheduled for November 7.

What was Wikramanayake’s role at Macquarie?

Wikramanayake joined Macquarie in Sydney in 1987 and became managing director and CEO in December 2018, succeeding Nicholas Moore. Before taking the top job, she led Macquarie Asset Management for a decade and worked across several businesses and countries, according to the company’s 2026 annual report.

Her career included establishing and leading corporate advisory offices in New Zealand, Hong Kong and Malaysia and building infrastructure funds management activities in the United States and Canada. As group CEO, she oversaw a wider set of activities that includes asset management, Australian banking, commodities and markets, and advisory and investment businesses.

That breadth is useful context for the transition: Ward is moving from responsibility for one major division to leadership of a group whose earnings come from several different businesses and markets. His predecessor’s experience in asset management was different from his background in finance and banking, although both spent decades inside Macquarie.

What did Macquarie report in Wikramanayake’s final results?

The group’s reported A$2.478 billion profit for the half year ended September 30 was 50% higher than a year earlier, but 22% lower than the half year ended March 31, 2026. The comparison matters: a strong increase against the prior-year period does not mean profit also rose against the immediately preceding half.

In the company release reproduced by Mirage News, Wikramanayake described the result as her last before retirement. The release identified strength across diverse businesses and said Ward, as CEO designate, maintained a cautious outlook, citing factors including market conditions, transaction completions, exchange rates and potential tax or regulatory changes.

The result provides a snapshot of the business being handed over, not a forecast of what Ward’s tenure will deliver. The group’s performance can vary across businesses and reporting periods, as the two different profit comparisons show.

What happens next in Macquarie’s CEO transition?

The immediate milestones are Wikramanayake’s stated November 6 retirement date and Ward’s scheduled board appointments on November 7. The next useful confirmation would be an updated company disclosure on the appointment and any required approvals. Macquarie’s investor information page is a starting point for results and company reporting.

Over time, Ward’s public statements and subsequent results may show how he intends to lead the group’s different businesses. His internal appointment suggests continuity of experience, but it does not by itself establish that strategy, management priorities or business performance will stay the same. Those are questions for future announcements and results.

FAQ

When does Shemara Wikramanayake retire?

Macquarie announced that her retirement as managing director and CEO, and her departure from the group and bank boards, are effective November 6, 2026.

Has Macquarie chosen a new CEO?

Yes. Its board named Greg Ward as her successor in July, subject to necessary approvals. The announcement reviewed did not confirm whether those approvals were later completed.

What does Greg Ward do at Macquarie?

Ward has been head of Banking and Financial Services and deputy managing director. He previously served as the group’s global chief financial officer.