Shemara Wikramanayake

Shemara Wikramanayake is the managing director and CEO of Macquarie Group, a global financial services firm. Wikramanayake began her professional career as a corporate lawyer before joining Macquarie in its capital markets division in Sydney. She holds degrees in commerce and law from the University of New South Wales and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School, bringing a cross-disciplinary perspective to her work in banking and finance.

Throughout her tenure at Macquarie, Wikramanayake has worked across six countries and multiple business lines. She established and led the firm's corporate advisory offices in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, and expanded its infrastructure funds management business in the United States and Canada. After nearly two decades with Macquarie Capital, she was appointed head of Macquarie Asset Management, where she oversaw the division's growth into a leading manager of infrastructure and real assets and a top-50 global public securities manager.

Wikramanayake became the first woman and the first Asian-Australian woman to serve as managing director and CEO of both Macquarie Group and an ASX 200 company. She has also been recognized as the highest-paid CEO in Australia for multiple years. Under her leadership, Macquarie has reported record profits, with the company's market valuation more than doubling during her tenure. Macquarie operates in more than 30 markets, managing nearly A$1 trillion in assets and employing over 19,000 staff worldwide.

In addition to her financial leadership, Wikramanayake is known for her work in climate change and sustainable investment. She has served as a commissioner of the World Bank's Global Commission on Adaptation and was a founding CEO of the United Nations Climate Finance Leadership Initiative, focusing on mobilizing private capital for climate solutions. Wikramanayake has also chaired the Macquarie Group Foundation, supporting broader societal initiatives. She has been recognized by Fortune magazine on its Most Powerful Women lists, reflecting her influence in global finance, sustainable investment, and corporate leadership.