When Mark Ebbinghaus was recognised as a FINSIA Senior Fellow, his 35-year-plus career in finance spanned Australia, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Currently chair of ESR Group, Europe and Middle East, an Asia Pacific-focused new economy real estate developer and funds management company, Mark started out in the Australian capital markets as an analyst with the real estate research team at UBS.
After moving to Singapore, he was the Head of the Asian Real Estate and Leisure investment banking practice for UBS, and then the Global Head of Industries at Standard Chartered.
Later, at the ESR Group, he led the buildout of a European real estate funds management franchise from scratch to over US$20 billion in assets under management.
He has also been a regular speaker and panel participant at leading industry events across public and private markets in Australia and throughout Asia, contributing to the advancement and development of real estate capital markets across the region.
“The post nominals SF FIN mark a significant contribution or outstanding achievement in financial services, so it’s an honour to be acknowledged in this way by the peak professional body in Australia and New Zealand,” he says.
The challenge of rapid evolution
Mark has seen digitalisation and globalisation bring rapid change to capital markets.
“Industry participants are having to react in real time to provide a higher degree of service and meet the ever-increasing focus on professional conduct,” he says.
“This is essential if we are to not only meet, but exceed the demands of stakeholders, including regulators and the community at large who give us licence to operate.”
He believes that industry bodies like FINSIA will also need to rise to the challenges of a rapidly evolving and dynamic world.
“We’re in a period of likely increased inflation, revised financial metrics and follow on effects of increased political uncertainty, populist Governments, and increasing capital market volatility,” he says.
“There are also ongoing challenges associated with the rise in both financial digitalisation and artificial intelligence. I see FINSIA's role evolving not only to stay relevant, but also in leading the charge to maintain the highest standards of professionalism, in an increasingly dynamic and fast moving world.”
Setting yourself apart
Mark believes that young professionals who want to make significant contributions to banking and finance need focus, commitment, and dedication.
“There are a lot of smart people out there in the industry,” he says. “Often, the difference, and pathway to success lies in stubborn persistence and the ability to dust yourself off and get going again whenever you get knocked down, it’s about resilience.
"It’s also about doing the best you possibly can to earn and retain the trust of your stakeholders including your employer, your clients, your regulators and, most importantly, the community. As a service provider you have to provide an increasing high level of service, not only to make a difference but also to survive.”
Even the most committed finance professional has a life outside work and, for Ebbinghaus, that means spending time with family, friends, a dog and two cats – Willow the Hungarian Vizsla, Argie the Maine Coon and Winky the Ragdoll. He likes to stay fit – he’s an avid cyclist – and, perhaps not surprising for a man so well travelled, he enjoys seeking out new adventures.
“This includes discovering interesting new restaurants,” he says. “Our favourites are Japanese with an interesting cold saké and Italian food, matched with a good red wine.”