Shemara Wikramanayake
Shemara Wikramanayake is the Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie Group. She joined the investment bank in 1987 and has since worked in six countries, across several business lines. Wikramanayake established and led Macquarie's corporate advisory offices in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia as well as the infrastructure funds management business in the United States and Canada. Prior to her current role, Wikramanayake served as the Head of Macquarie Asset Management, leading the division to grow to become a world-leading manager of infrastructure and real assets and a top 50 global public securities manager.
Shemara Wikramanayake Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
-
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
-
Head of Macquarie Asset Management
Academic History
-
Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws
EARLY LIFE AND CAREER
- Wikramanayake was born in the United Kingdom and was raised there and in Sri Lanka.
- She immigrated to Australia with her parents when she was 13.
- She worked as a corporate lawyer at Blake Dawson Waldron in Sydney before joining Macquarie.
GREEN ENERGY TRANSITION
- Wikramanayake is betting big on a green energy transition, steering investments toward renewables and climate-resilient infrastructure.
- She advises the Australian government on green technology investment.
- She was appointed a Commissioner of the Global Commission on Adaptation in 2018, a World Bank-led initiative to accelerate climate adaptation action and create concrete solutions which enhance resilience.
- She was appointed by the UN’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, Michael Bloomberg, to the Climate Finance Leadership Initiative in 2019, which seeks a six-fold increase in climate mitigation investment from the private sector.