John L. Jacobs

As chief marketing officer for NASDAQ OMX, Jacobs plays a key role in the strategic development and implementation of the company's branding and messaging. His group is responsible for the full spectrum of NASDAQ OMX’s brand marketing, including advertising, marketing communications, market research, public relations, and media relations targeting NASDAQ OMX customers and audiences in the U.S. and abroad.

As head of NASDAQ OMX Global Financial Products, Jacobs is responsible for all aspects of the financial products business strategy, including the development of new products and product licensing in the U.S. and abroad.

Under his direction, NASDAQ launched the NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking StockSM (QQQQ), one of the most successful financial products in stock market history. To date, NASDAQ Global Funds has launched over 400 products based on NASDAQ Indices in more than 25 countries around the world.  

Jacobs is also responsible for the PORTAL Market® which facilitates the negotiation and trading of unregistered 144A securities among qualified institutional buyers (QIBs). John led plans to launch the first and only centralized electronic system for trading 144A securities. The new PORTAL system, which began operating on August 15, 2007, is intended to improve the efficiency and transparency of the private placement market - thereby encouraging capital formation.

Among his former responsibilities at NASDAQ, Jacobs launched and led NASDAQ's first listed-company sales force, then went on to lead the company's customer service teams.

Also included in his broad range of experience is management of NASDAQ's listings and compliance group, which reviews and processes all SEC documents and financial filings. Additionally, Jacobs was part of the team that garnered a "yes" vote from more than 5,000 NASD member firms to spin off NASDAQ. Since then, he was part of the core group that successfully orchestrated the first two rounds of NASDAQ's private placements, paving the way for NASDAQ to become a publicly traded company.

Jacobs earned his BS in accounting from the University of Maryland, is a certified public accountant (CPA), and holds an MBA from Loyola. He has taught Investment Banking and other graduate courses in the MBA programs at both Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown University. For the past 10 years, he has served as a judge for both the Washington, DC and New York City regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year Award Programs. Jacobs has also presided as a judge for the MBA competition at the University of Maryland. In addition to serving on the Boards of NASDAQ Gobal Funds, Inc., NASDAQ Financial Products Services Ireland Limited, and the NASDAQ Insurance Agency LLC, he serves on the Board of Advisors of CourtExpress, Inc. and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Indexes.