Adena Friedman
Adena Friedman is the Chair and CEO of Nasdaq, a leading global provider of trading, clearing, exchange technology, and listing services. As the first woman to lead a major global stock exchange, she has been instrumental in transforming Nasdaq into a technologically advanced financial platform, setting benchmarks for publicly-traded technology companies worldwide. Friedman is widely recognized as a pioneering business executive and influential leader in the financial industry. Before rejoining Nasdaq in 2014, she served as Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director at The Carlyle Group, the world’s fourth-largest private equity firm, where she played a key role in taking the company public in 2012. Beyond her corporate achievements, Friedman is an outspoken advocate for women in leadership, mentoring, and advancing career opportunities for women in finance.
Adena Friedman Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Chair and CEO
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President and Chief Operating Officer
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Chief Financial Officer
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Chief Financial Officer
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Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Data Products
Academic History
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Master of Business Administration (MBA)
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B.A., Political Science and Government
NASDAQ HIGHLIGHTS
Adena Friedman is credited with leading Nasdaq’s strategic transformation into a top global exchange and technology solutions provider, operating across six continents.
Under her leadership, Nasdaq has continued to innovate in the rapidly evolving financial markets, expanding into data research services and software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings.
She has positioned Nasdaq as an “engine for capitalism,” enhancing market accessibility and encouraging companies to return to public markets.
Friedman has also played a key role in Nasdaq’s growth through acquisitions, overseeing INET, OMX, and the Philadelphia and Boston Exchanges.
NASDAQ CAREER
Friedman originally joined Nasdaq in 1993 and held several senior leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer and President of Global Corporate and Information Technology Solutions.
She rejoined the company in 2014 as President, overseeing technology, information, and corporate businesses that accounted for over two-thirds of Nasdaq’s revenues.
In 2017, she became President and CEO, managing all business segments with a focus on efficiency, product innovation, and global expansion. She also serves on Nasdaq’s Board of Directors.
RECOGNITIONS
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
Board of Directors, Business Roundtable
Board of Directors, FCLTGlobal
Board of Trust, Vanderbilt University
Board Member, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington
Supporter, DC Community of Hope
MEDIA PRESENCE
Friedman has been widely profiled in top financial and business media, including Time, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The New York Times, Fortune, Business Insider, BBC, CNBC, Financial Times, and Fox Business.