Macquarie has announced a key hire in its regional corporate finance franchise, appointing Simon Murray, former chief executive of Hutchison Whampoa to an executive role. From 10 January, he takes on the post of Macquarie’s Asia Chairman, corporate finance and will play a key role in developing this part of the business regionally.
To Macquarie, Murray brings over 35 years of Asian finance experience, which has been characterised by a number of executive roles at both global and regional firms.
Currently, he is the executive chairman of General Enterprise Management Services Limited (GEMS), a private equity fund management company sponsored by Simon Murray and Associates. He will remain in this role in the company he founded following his move to Macquarie.
Murray will also continue his roles as a director for Cheung Kong Holdings, Hutchison Whampoa and Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA.
Aside from his roles with GEMS and Hutchison Whampoa, Murray also served as executive chairman of Asia Pacific for Deutsche Bank, where he held responsibility for the supervision of operations for 80 offices in 17 countries regionally.
In addition, he also spent 14 years with Jardine Matheson where he ran its engineering business and trading operations. Following this position he founded Davenham Investments, a project advisory company, in joint venture with NM Rothschild & Sons. After the sale of this firm, Murray then became the group managing director of Hutchison Whampoa in 1984, a role that he held for nine years.
While at Hutchison, he was instrumental in pioneering the group’s entry into the mobile telecommunications space and negotiated the rights to develop Orange, the well-known European service provider. Also, Murray developed the group’s energy business through the acquisition of Hong Kong Electric and Husky Oil Company of Canada. During his tenure at Hutchison, the conglomerate also expanded its container operations.
After leaving Hutchison Whampoa, Murray also founded Distacom, a mobile telecommunications services provider with operations in India, Japan and Hong Kong.
His impressive resume also stretches as chairman for companies such as Hong Kong Electric, Hong Kong International Terminals, Husky Oil of Canada and Asia Satellite Telecommunications.
Commenting on the hire, Andrew Low, Macquarie’s head of corporate finance for Asia says,” Simon’s 35 years of experience in the region have included everything from advising, investing and raising capital to managing leading businesses in sectors for Macquarie.
