Our businesses

Macquarie’s business activities are organized into principal operating groups that specialize in defined product or market sectors. Great emphasis is placed on the client’s relationship with Macquarie as a whole.

In the Americas, Macquarie's operating groups include:

• Macquarie Capital
• Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities
• Real Estate Group
• Banking and Financial Services Group
• Equity Markets Group
• Funds Management Group

In addition, Macquarie has a network of support areas that provide the infrastructure and framework which enable the groups to operate. These include:

• Finance Division
• Information Technology Group
• Risk Management Group

Macquarie Capital

Macquarie Capital operates globally and brings together Macquarie’s advisory, wholesale structuring, broking, underwriting and investment advisory funds management capabilities.

Our largest activity in North America is an integrated investment advisory and private equity funds management business.

In North America, we are organized into two functional divisions:

1. Macquarie Capital Advisors – our investment origination, structuring and execution teams, with activities similar to that of an internal M&A/financing advisory function or the deal execution team in a private equity firm; and
2. Macquarie Capital Funds – our asset and investment management teams, similar to private equity fund managers.

Together with our Macquarie Capital colleagues worldwide, we source, invest and manage approximately $49 billion of equity invested in over 100 infrastructure and related assets on behalf of retail and institutional investors. In fact, the Macquarie Capital Funds’ portfolio managed by Macquarie now includes many significant and well-known community assets in 25 countries worldwide.

From their inception in 1996 to the first quarter of 2007, our family of managed funds has delivered annualized returns to investors in excess of 18.3% p.a.* This track record of success has driven the continuous growth of our funds management business where our equity under management has more than tripled over the last 4 years. 

Macquarie is the recognized leader in global infrastructure acquisition, financing and management, and is one of the world’s largest non-Government owners and managers of infrastructure assets. These assets span a wide range of sectors and geographies, from toll roads in Australia to telephone directories in Finland, and include:

• International airports in major cities across the globe, such as Copenhagen, Brussels and Sydney
• Major toll roads in numerous countries, such as the 407 ETR in Canada, the APRR road network in France, and the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll Road in the United States
• Electric and gas utilities serving millions of residential and industrial consumers in communities, such as Melbourne, Australia, Wales, UK and Western Pennsylvania and Hawaii, US
• Broadcast towers delivering television and radio transmission across the UK, US and Australia
• Port investments around the world including Canada, Poland and China

Separately, Macquarie Capital, through Macquarie Capital Securities USA Inc. is a leading specialist broker of Japanese, Pan Asian and Australasian equities; offering clients specialist capabilities in equity sales, equities, research and corporate broking.

*Annualized return based on all capital raised, distributions paid and valuations (market capitalization for listed funds/vehicles or companies and net asset value for unlisted funds and managed assets) for Macquarie Capital Funds since inception to December 31, 2007 (listed funds as at December 31, 2007, unlisted funds and managed assets as at June 30, 2007).  Calculated on an AUD basis, with cashflows converted at fixed exchange rates (based on the date of listing for listed funds, first close date for unlisted funds, and financial close date for managed assets).

Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities

Macquarie's Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities is involved in a broad range of financial markets and trading activities. The Group's services range from foreign exchange to trading agricultural products, such as corn, to trading natural gas, electricity and ethanol.

In the Americas, Macquarie is active in a broad range of financial and physical commodity markets, supported by our worldwide team of professionals who have an in-depth knowledge across a range of commodity sectors. In addition to offering risk management and trading services for agricultural and energy commodities, T&C also has extensive experience in price-making and derivative trading in base and precious metals.

Real Estate Group

Macquarie’s Real Estate Group has businesses in the Asia-Pacific, Asia, North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Globally, more than $19 billion in real estate assets are managed by Macquarie Real Estate and its associates across a portfolio of listed and unlisted property trusts, unlisted development funds and property investment syndicates.

Macquarie’s strategic focus is on the creation and management of real estate investment trusts in the world’s major capital markets. We currently manage seven Real Estate Investment Trusts in three countries and have a long-term track record of outperforming relevant benchmark indices.

Banking and Financial Services Group

The Banking and Financial Services Group is the primary relationship manager for Macquarie’s retail client base in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and India. BFSG also has businesses in North America and Europe and is focused on exploring other international investment and product distribution opportunities.

Equity Markets Group

Macquarie’s Equity Markets Group offers a range of specialized investment, trading and risk management products to wholesale and private customers in Australia, Asia, Europe, Latin America and South Africa. The range includes equity-linked products providing access to underlying securities traded on all the world’s major stock exchanges, as well as range of hedge funds. The group’s US presence was established in 2005.

Funds Management Group

The Funds Management Group is Macquarie’s funds management arm. It is a full-service funds manager in Australia offering products across the full spectrum of investment styles, pricing structures, risk/return profiles and in all major asset classes.

Finance Division

The Finance Division plays a key role in supporting Macquarie’s operating areas by providing financial control, financial planning and capital management, management reporting and budgeting, divisional accounting services and international business support.

Information Technology Group

The Information Technology Group manages Macquarie’s global technology infrastructure, the support and development of existing business systems, and the delivery and deployment of new systems, technologies and services. Each major Business Group in Macquarie has a dedicated team that works closely with them to understand its particular technology needs and to provide innovative and effective IT solutions.

Risk Management Group

Risk is an integral part of all Macquarie’s businesses and management of that risk is critical to Macquarie's continuing profitability. Macquarie supports taking risks in an entrepreneurial fashion. The role of the Risk Management Group (RMG) is to work closely with our businesses, ensuring all risks are identified, properly understood and actively managed. RMG approves all new businesses, new products and significant transactions across the organization.