{"id":"adena-friedman","title":"Adena Friedman","content":"**Adena Friedman** is the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Nasdaq, a leading American stock market index composed predominantly of technology companies. She has been credited with shaping Nasdaq's transformation into a diversified global exchange and technology company. Friedman's career is notable for her focus on integrating advanced technologies such as blockchain into financial market infrastructure, positioning Nasdaq as a potential disrupter within the industry. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-4LL9ZQaCZWx4zGL8)\n\n## Early Life & Education\n\nAdena Friedman, originally surname Testa, was born in 1969 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was raised in a family engaged with finance and law, with her father, Michael D. Testa, serving as a managing director at T. Rowe Price, and her mother, Adena W. Testa, practicing law. She attended the Roland Park Country School, where she excelled academically and developed an interest in finance. Friedman pursued higher education in political science at Williams College, earning a Bachelor of Arts, followed by an MBA from Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management in 1993. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2wp4cwyc1znSeLAG)\n\n## Career at Nasdaq\n\nAdena Friedman began her career at Nasdaq in 1993, initially joining as an intern. Over the years, she rose through the ranks, holding various positions, including head of the company's data products business, head of corporate strategy, and Chief Financial Officer. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-dw3psRhShMvp7CHS) Her tenure was marked by her role in strategic acquisitions, including INET, OMX, and the Philadelphia and Boston exchanges. [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-Zbho4H7UOD3yuvom)\n\nIn 2011, Friedman left Nasdaq to become Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director at The Carlyle Group, where she contributed to taking the company public in May 2012. She returned to Nasdaq in 2014 as President and served as Chief Operating Officer from December 2015 to December 2016. In January 2017, she was appointed President and CEO, and she became Chair of the Board in January 2023. [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-NLNkpHGyYMmKxd4j)\n\n## Public Board and Advisory Roles\n\nFriedman holds several roles outside Nasdaq. She has served as a Class B director of the Federal [Reserve](https://iq.wiki/wiki/reserve) Bank of New York since December 2018. She is also a board member for FCLTGlobal, a nonprofit organization focusing on long-term investing strategies. Additionally, Friedman joined the Business Roundtable Board of Directors in January 2024 and chairs the Business Roundtable's Technology Committee. [\\[6\\]](#cite-id-2LnGbD4lJFPtkwQf)\n\n## Contributions to Blockchain and Crypto\n\nAdena Friedman has articulated a vision for Nasdaq's role in financial technology disruption, particularly through blockchain. She has emphasized the exchange's intent to implement blockchain technology to address scalability challenges and to innovate how markets operate. Under her leadership, Nasdaq has explored blockchain's potential to replace traditional processes, such as transitioning physical equity ownership certificates to electronic records. [\\[7\\]](#cite-id-uxy0HsvNOCKPQNZw)\n\n## Personal Life\n\nFriedman has been married to Michael Cameron Friedman since 1993, and they have two children. Her personal interests extend beyond finance, as evidenced by her commitment to taekwondo, where she holds a black belt. She has said that taekwondo helped her become more fearless in business. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-2wp4cwyc1znSeLAG)","summary":"Adena Friedman is CEO and Chair of Nasdaq, known for her leadership in finance and blockchain exploration. Accredited with transforming Nasdaq into a tech-focused company, she is a prominent voice on integrating blockchain in market infrastructure.","images":[{"id":"QmSXi8YPQJgR4QS9PqJuFxnYqeyz3ao9ZMP3jj1VgcQhoo","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"people"}],"tags":[{"id":"Founder"},{"id":"Influencer"},{"id":"Advisor"},{"id":"Bitcoin"}],"media":[{"id":"QmcJFQ9TTrQj3RFXXn32xeygKCAmurhKnUDxcuFcSvrANB","name":"0x0.webp","caption":"","thumbnail":"QmcJFQ9TTrQj3RFXXn32xeygKCAmurhKnUDxcuFcSvrANB","source":"IPFS_IMG"}],"metadata":[{"id":"linkedin_profile","value":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/adenatfriedman/"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://x.com/adenatfriedman"},{"id":"website","value":"https://www.nasdaq.com/about/our-people/adena-t-friedman"},{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"2wp4cwyc1znSeLAG\",\"url\":\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adena\\\\_Friedman\",\"description\":\"Wikipedia\",\"timestamp\":1787127206489},{\"id\":\"4LL9ZQaCZWx4zGL8\",\"url\":\"https://www.nasdaq.com/about/our-people/adena-t-friedman\",\"description\":\"Nasdaq's own bio\",\"timestamp\":1787127206489},{\"id\":\"dw3psRhShMvp7CHS\",\"url\":\"https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/21/08/22296680/nasdaq-will-implement-blockchain-and-become-a-disrupter-says-ceo-adena-friedman\",\"description\":\"Benzinga\",\"timestamp\":1787127206489},{\"id\":\"Zbho4H7UOD3yuvom\",\"url\":\"https://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/orgchart/board/adenafriedman\",\"description\":\"NY Fed\",\"timestamp\":1787127206489},{\"id\":\"NLNkpHGyYMmKxd4j\",\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/adenatfriedman/\",\"description\":\"LinkedIn\",\"timestamp\":1787127206489},{\"id\":\"2LnGbD4lJFPtkwQf\",\"url\":\"https://x.com/adenatfriedman\",\"description\":\"X.com Profile\",\"timestamp\":1787127206489},{\"id\":\"uxy0HsvNOCKPQNZw\",\"url\":\"https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2017/05/29/markets-master-adena-friedman-begins-her-tenure-as-ceo-of-nasdaq-looking-to-emerging-technologies-to-help-reshape-world-financial-markets/\",\"description\":\"Vanderbilt University\",\"timestamp\":1787127206489}]"},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Added new wiki page Adena Friedman\""}],"events":[{"id":"27d7a877-d89b-4523-a09c-7aaf21178696","date":"1993-01-01","title":"Joined Nasdaq as Intern","type":"CREATED","description":"Adena Friedman started her career at Nasdaq as an intern in 1993.","link":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"d659f424-7430-4b98-98d7-89c7fd4c4810","date":"2017-01-01","title":"Became President and CEO of Nasdaq","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Adena Friedman assumed the role of President and CEO of Nasdaq, marking her as the first female leader of a global exchange.","link":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"c53ec176-b50c-48df-ae98-447b90ab363c","date":"2023-01-01","title":"Appointed Chair of Nasdaq Board","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Friedman was appointed Chair of the Nasdaq Board, cementing her leadership role.","link":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"599bcab2-d230-4d95-babd-152a1a6bb78b","date":"2014-05-01","title":"Rejoined Nasdaq as President","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Rejoined Nasdaq as President after her tenure at The Carlyle Group, influencing major acquisitions and strategic initiatives.","link":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"774d2e08-5b47-4424-bd5e-241a318c0009","date":"2024-01-01","title":"Elected to Business Roundtable Board","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Elected to Business Roundtable Board of Directors, serving as Chair of its Technology Committee.","link":null,"continent":null,"country":null}],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"operator":{"id":"0x04e4a72e18b46EC55Ba1361CEFcEF0404b520f47"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":[],"founders":[],"speakers":[]}}