He became Executive Chairman of Hill Samuel Australia and founded the company from offices at Gold Fields House in Sydney's Circular Quay.

In other business initiatives during the decade, HSA helped pioneer the foreign currency hedge market in Australia, commenced gold bullion trading, extended its coverage to all listed commodities and was one of the first merchant banks to be granted floor member status at the Sydney Futures Exchange.

The 1980s were marked by significant financial market deregulation in Australia, including the floating of the Australian dollar and the removal of restrictions on foreign banks.

It became Australia's leading bullion trader, initiated 24-hour foreign exchange trading, commenced stockbroking and corporate leasing activities, opened offices in London and Munich, expanded into funds management by establishing Australia's first cash management account and formed a new structured finance business which would grow to become one of the largest in the world.

Macquarie continued its overseas expansion during the early 1990s, opening offices in New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing, while extending its Australian operations to Perth and the Gold Coast.

[18] In 1994, Macquarie began its infrastructure investment business with the underwriting and placement of publicly listed equity for the Hills Motorway in Sydney.

[19] During the decade, Macquarie also launched its private banking and residential mortgages businesses and established a number of real estate and investment trusts.

[20] Macquarie continued to expand its Asia operations in the early 2000s with the opening of offices in Seoul and Tokyo in 2000, and through the acquisition of ING Group's Asian cash equities business in March 2004.

[23] Other acquisitions included UK gas supply company Corona Energy in August 2006 and, in 2009, independent energy advisory firm Tristone Global Capital Inc; specialist investment bank Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Walker; Canadian wealth management business Blackmont Capital Inc; the wholesale electricity trading business of US firm Integrys Energy; US-based fixed income fund manager Allegiance Investment Management; the equity derivatives and structured products business of German private bank Sal.

[35] In 2010, Macquarie completed its then largest acquisition with the purchase of Delaware Investments, a US-based diversified asset management firm, from Lincoln Financial Group.

[40] The same year, the company, through its subsidiary Macquarie Equipment Rentals, was criticised by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission for suing 300 small businesses caught up in misleading telephony bundling deals.

[41] In March 2012, Macquarie acquired the buildings located at 48–50 Martin Place and 9–19 Elizabeth Street from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in preparation of their lease at current No.

[45] In October Macquarie entered into an agreement to acquire the A$8.2 billion Esanda dealer finance portfolio from ANZ Banking Group.

[47] In August 2017, a Macquarie-led consortium acquired the UK Green Investment Bank plc from the UK government [48] as the result of the 'Future of the Green Investment Bank inquiry' that concluded that it was by original design to operate as an investment bank and in providing finance on fully commercial terms to achieve both green impact and strong profits the government should move GIB into private ownership so it can carry on doing what it does best – but funded by the private sector, rather than using public funds and free to borrow from the capital markets as necessary without this affecting public sector debt.

[56] Also in 2021, Macquarie entered into a binding agreement to acquire AMP Capital's Global Equity and Fixed Income (GEFI) business in Australia.

[58] In November 2023, Macquarie Capital Principal Finance announced the acquisition of energy testing and inspection services provider – Camin Cargo for an undisclosed amount.

Globally, key regulators include the UK FCA and PRA; US CFTC, FINRA, NFA, FERC, SEC and Federal Reserve Board; IIROC; MAS; Hong Kong SFC; HKMA; SEBI; Japan FSA; Korean FSS; and New Zealand FMA.