Nicholas Moore driven by passion in education as he receives King’s Birthday honour

Investment banking titan Nicholas Moore says education is the passion that will drive his later career as he is appointed Officer of the Order of Australia.

Investment banking titan Nicholas Moore, who led Macquarie Group for a decade until 2018, says furthering education is the passion that will drive his later career as he is recognised at the King’s Birthday honours list and prepares to become a grandfather for the fourth time.

Mr Moore, who among his many roles since retiring from Macquarie after 33 years, chairs the statutory body supervising the corporate and banking regulators, will be appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia on Monday “for his distinguished service to the finance, business, commerce sectors, to arts administration, and to education”.

In an interview with The Australian the 64-year-old says he was surprised when he received a letter from the Governor-General’s secretary with the news a few weeks ago. He feels grateful to be honoured, acknowledging the values his parents instilled in him, and expressing gratitude for the opportunities he has received throughout his career.

“In my whole life I feel very fortunate to have been born in Australia. It’s the best country in the world,” he says.

“I feel very fortunate to have the family that’s supported me, my parents, my siblings, my wife, and to have been given the opportunities to work with the people that I’ve worked with over my time at Macquarie and more recently in a range of non-profit and government organisations, who are doing very important work. I feel very grateful.”

Born in Melbourne, he is the middle child of five. He says his parent’s faith and “their dedication, their hard work and always wanting to make a difference” have set an example “that I have followed all my life and continue to do so”.

Among his many current leadership roles away from the ‘‘millionaire’s factory’’ where he drove exponential growth in returns during his time at the helm, he chairs the National Catholic Education Commission, the non-profit children’s charity The Smith Family, Screen Australia, and the Centre for Independent Studies. He is a member – and former chair – of UNSW’s Business School Advisory Council.

“When you are fortunate you naturally want to share that and particularly with people who aren’t so fortunate,” he says.

He is passionate about knowledge and education and sees his contribution in his governance roles as supporting people and organisations that “do the hard work” to help the less privileged.

“That educational theme I feel very passionate about in terms of what we can be doing,” he says. “Of course, it’s a limited governance role that I play. I’m a helper amongst many. But I find education very much a passion.”

In his work as Special Envoy for Southeast Asia, he is also “looking at how education can contribute not just here in Australia, but how Australian education can impact the broader Southeast Asian region”.

He is a swimmer and a runner, and also chairs tech company Willow and labelling and packaging company Aldus.

“I’m super busy,” he says, as he recalls an APRA assessment report due later this month that the Financial Regulator Assessment Authority – which he chairs – is finalising, and work on a strategy paper for the government as part of his role as Special Envoy, setting out how to enhance economic ties and foster two-way investment with Southeast Asia.

But beyond all his work and passions, his family is the “most important thing to me”, he says, including his wife Helen, his four children, and so far three grandchildren – “and hopefully another one, any day now”.