OzForex
Encyclopedia
OzForex is an online foreign exchange
and global payments provider and a strategic investment of Macquarie Bank, Accel Partners and the Carlyle Group. OzForex is part of the OzForex Group which also includes UKForex
, CanadianForex
, NZForex, ClearFX and Tranzfers.
The company's client base includes small and medium-sized businesses that import
and export
goods, as well as migrants transferring financial assets, expatriates repatriating funds, and individuals investing overseas.
The OzForex website
provides real-time exchange rates for dozens of currencies, as well as historical charts and strategies to manage exchange rate exposure.
The OzForex Board of Directors
is made up of executives with credentials and experience in foreign exchange and financial markets generally.
OzForex was started by Matthew Gilmour in 1998 ‘‘as an experiment’’ while working as the head of foreign exchange at Bankers Trust
.
, Australia
by Matthew Gilmour .
2000 – ABN status active, ABN 65 092 375 703
2001 – Launch of online dealing facility
2003 – NZForex and Tranzfers.com launch
2003 – Australian Financial Services Licence, AFSL, issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission
, license no. 226484
2005 – Former Bankers Trust Managing Director and Head of Asian Foreign Exchange Gary Lord joins the OzForex Group as Managing Director.
2005 – OzForex expands its operations into the UK and launches UKForex
.co.uk with offices in London.
2005 – Global 24-hour trading platform launches, annual turn-over exceeds US$1 billion
2007 – Macquarie purchases 51% of OzForex, new CEO Neil Helm joins from Macquarie
2007 – CanadianForex launches in Toronto, Canada
.
2008 – Member of Financial Ombudsman Service, member no. 11340
2008 – International Money Transfers, a service from Macquarie and OzForex, launches
2008 – Turnover exceeds US$4 billion
2009 – ING Direct uses OzForex platform to offer international money transfer
service to customers
2010 – ClearFX.com launch
2010 – The group receives minority growth investment from Accel Partners
and The Carlyle Group
. Representatives from both Accel Partners and Carlyle serve on the OzForex Board of Directors. The company's founders and Macquarie Private Wealth, which is part of Macquarie Group
, are together retaining significant ownership of OzForex, Neil Helm continues as CEO.
, BRW Fast 100 Awards
2005 – Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards
2006 - Finalist Invest UK Trade and Investment International Business Awards
2008 - OzForex founder Matt Gilmour wins Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year, in the Technology and Emerging Industries category
2009 – Deloitte Fast 500
Technology Asia Pacific Awards and Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards
2010 – Deloitte Fast 500
Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Australia 2010 Awards
Foreign exchange market
The foreign exchange market is a global, worldwide decentralized financial market for trading currencies. Financial centers around the world function as anchors of trading between a wide range of different types of buyers and sellers around the clock, with the exception of weekends...
and global payments provider and a strategic investment of Macquarie Bank, Accel Partners and the Carlyle Group. OzForex is part of the OzForex Group which also includes UKForex
UKForex
UKForex is an online deliverable foreign exchange provider based in Moorgate, London and is part of the OzForex group.The company services migrants transferring financial assets, individuals investing overseas and expatriates repatriating funds as well as small and medium-sized businesses that...
, CanadianForex
CanadianForex
CanadianForex Limited is an online foreign exchange and global payments provider based in Toronto, Canada and is part of the OzForex Group.CanadianForex launched its North American office in 2008 and provides live exchange rates for a wide range of major currencies as well as exotic currencies...
, NZForex, ClearFX and Tranzfers.
The company's client base includes small and medium-sized businesses that import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
and export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
goods, as well as migrants transferring financial assets, expatriates repatriating funds, and individuals investing overseas.
The OzForex website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
provides real-time exchange rates for dozens of currencies, as well as historical charts and strategies to manage exchange rate exposure.
The OzForex Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
is made up of executives with credentials and experience in foreign exchange and financial markets generally.
OzForex was started by Matthew Gilmour in 1998 ‘‘as an experiment’’ while working as the head of foreign exchange at Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
.
Company history
1998 – Launch of ozforex.com.au as foreign exchange information site in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by Matthew Gilmour .
2000 – ABN status active, ABN 65 092 375 703
2001 – Launch of online dealing facility
2003 – NZForex and Tranzfers.com launch
2003 – Australian Financial Services Licence, AFSL, issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission is an independent Australian government body that acts as Australia's corporate regulator...
, license no. 226484
2005 – Former Bankers Trust Managing Director and Head of Asian Foreign Exchange Gary Lord joins the OzForex Group as Managing Director.
2005 – OzForex expands its operations into the UK and launches UKForex
UKForex
UKForex is an online deliverable foreign exchange provider based in Moorgate, London and is part of the OzForex group.The company services migrants transferring financial assets, individuals investing overseas and expatriates repatriating funds as well as small and medium-sized businesses that...
.co.uk with offices in London.
2005 – Global 24-hour trading platform launches, annual turn-over exceeds US$1 billion
2007 – Macquarie purchases 51% of OzForex, new CEO Neil Helm joins from Macquarie
2007 – CanadianForex launches in Toronto, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
2008 – Member of Financial Ombudsman Service, member no. 11340
2008 – International Money Transfers, a service from Macquarie and OzForex, launches
2008 – Turnover exceeds US$4 billion
2009 – ING Direct uses OzForex platform to offer international money transfer
Money transfer
Money transfer generally refers to one of the following cashless modes of payment or payment systems:*Wire transfer, an international expedited bank-to-bank funds transfer*Electronic funds transfer, an umbrella term mostly used for bank card-based payments...
service to customers
2010 – ClearFX.com launch
2010 – The group receives minority growth investment from Accel Partners
Accel Partners
Accel Partners is a global venture and growth equity firm funding companies from inception through the growth stage.The firm is based in Palo Alto, California with major offices in Bangalore, Beijing, London, and Shanghai....
and The Carlyle Group
Carlyle Group
The Carlyle Group is an American-based global asset management firm, specializing in private equity, based in Washington, D.C. The Carlyle Group operates in four business areas: corporate private equity, real assets, market strategies and fund-of-funds, through its AlpInvest subsidiary...
. Representatives from both Accel Partners and Carlyle serve on the OzForex Board of Directors. The company's founders and Macquarie Private Wealth, which is part of Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group Limited is a global investment banking and diversified financial services group, providing banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services to institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world...
, are together retaining significant ownership of OzForex, Neil Helm continues as CEO.
Awards
2005 – Business Review WeeklyBusiness Review Weekly
BRW is an Australian weekly business magazine published by the Fairfax Media group. It regularly compiles lists which rank corporations and individuals according to various criteria, similar to Fortune magazine in the United States.BRW provides news and commentary on the economy, business and...
, BRW Fast 100 Awards
2005 – Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards
2006 - Finalist Invest UK Trade and Investment International Business Awards
2008 - OzForex founder Matt Gilmour wins Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms, along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers ....
Entrepreneur of the Year, in the Technology and Emerging Industries category
2009 – Deloitte Fast 500
Deloitte Fast 500
The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Awards are run and moderated by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. They recognize the 500 fastest-growing technology companies in regions around the world...
Technology Asia Pacific Awards and Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards
2010 – Deloitte Fast 500
Deloitte Fast 500
The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Awards are run and moderated by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. They recognize the 500 fastest-growing technology companies in regions around the world...
Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Australia 2010 Awards