In today’s world, everyone knows how important work and development are, but we must not forget that fighting for a goal is not easy. Taking small steps towards a big goal is the most important thing. You never know tomorrow, but you know what you can do today to make tomorrow better than yesterday. To illustrate this, I would like to talk to you about one of the successful businesswomen who, through hard work and gradual development, was able to become a role model for everyone. That woman is Adena T. Friedman, the president and CEO of Nasdaq.
Adena T. Friedman: Trailblazer and Leader of Nasdaq
Born in 1969 as Adena Robinson Testa, Adena T. Friedman has a special place in American economy and business since her responsibilities in Nasdaq as President and CEO are the company’s best-known and longest-lasting positions in financial history by becoming the first woman to be the leader of a US-based stock exchange. Her journey showcases the success of her knowledge and strength, demonstrated by the influential positions she held and the remarkable achievements she accomplished throughout her career.
Friedman started her career by joining Nasdaq in 1993 and swiftly ascending the ladder. Her time was disrupted, however, when she was the managing director and CFO of The Carlyle Group, a multinational investment firm. In 2014, she expressed her strong return to the company as President of Global Corporate and Information Technology Solutions. She was not long into the position of CFO at FirstData. Later, she got the CEO seat on January 1, 2017, with the former CEO being Bob Greifeld. She gained further recognition as CEO when she took over the position from Bob Greifeld on January 1, 2017.
During her leadership, Nasdaq went through an era of expanding into new horizons and developing new systems. She took this leadership responsibility even further when, in December 2022, the board of directors elected her as chair with all members voting affirmatively. She assumed office on January 1, 2023, succeeding Michael R. Splinter. This is the situation when she wears two hats: one as the central part of the organization’s governance and the other as one of the most influential people in the worldwide realm of financial services.
The Early Life and Education of Adena Friedman
Born Adena Robinson Testa and brought up in the vast noise of the Baltimore metropolis, she comes from a family full of professional success. Her father, Michael D. Testa, is a managing director at T. Rowe Price, which happens to be among the leading investment firms in the United States. On the other hand, her mother, Adena W. Testa, is an esteemed attorney at the city’s prestigious law firm, Stewart, Plant & Blumenthal.
Adena’s journey into education started at the Roland Park Country School, a highly reputed school, where she unearthed her intellectual curiosity and management traits for the first time. She used this knowledge to catapult herself into Williams College, studying political science and focusing on government and public policy. She became an honors student due to the knowledge and aspiration that she had, which led her to Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, where she got an MBA that further certified her professionalism in business and finance. Adena is a living biography of something that develops and completes itself, composed of both perfect and professional education. Her adventure manifests a concrete form of commitment to her personal growth and the world at large.
Marriage Life of Friedman’s
In 1993, Laura and Michael Cameron Friedman had a wedding ceremony officiated by a Presbyterian priest in a church in Hanover, New Hampshire. According to their accounts, Michael, a past lawyer, is a very foundational figure in their experience. They are the parents of two sons and are based in Maryland. She actively enjoys her leisure time partaking in a challenging sport such as taekwondo, which she has mastered and has even become a black belt in. She was introduced to the practice by enrolling her children in taekwondo classes. This sport made her braver and more confident about her life as a businesswoman. Her commitment to her family is a clear example of her personal and private growth as she manages her professional life along those lines. It’s a life of balance fetched from personal ambition while gaining rich experiences in real life.
Friedman’s Journey to Boost Your Motivation
When we mention successful business people and give examples, Friedman is a clear example of this. Along with her successful career listed above, Friedman has always been one of the stars of Wall Street. In 2005, Crain’s named her to the 40 Under 40 for her role as Nasdaq’s chief operating officer. I am motivated and hope that the only outcome from this will be to inspire you as well, not the other way around. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read about such an amazing woman, and I hope it will be motivating for you.
