In a recent opinion article in the Australian Financial Review, journalist Joyce Moullakis raises serious concerns about Macquarie Group's risk management standards, following new licence conditions imposed by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC).
The regulator cited "weak compliance and control management," an "incomplete understanding" of internal processes, and long-standing reporting breaches across Macquarie's futures and derivatives business. The intervention comes after ASIC identified nine market conduct issues in 18 months. It also follows earlier fines, including A$5 million over suspicious electricity futures trades late last year, and ongoing global scrutiny, such as a $79.8 million USD settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and potential legal action in Germany.
Moullakis argues that Macquarie's reputation for prudence has suffered and that its "risk management ethos" has slipped. She quotes a former executive as saying that the company's complexity "is a risk management challenge." While Macquarie has historically planned for "once-in-a-generation events," recent events suggest significant gaps, Moullakis argues. ASIC Commissioner Simone Constant has stressed the need for more than a "band-aid fix," and the regulator has mandated that the bank appoint an independent expert to review its remediation plan.
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