James “Jamie” Dimon manages more assets than the gross domestic product of several countries. The CEO of the country’s largest bank, the $2.5 trillion-asset JPMorgan Chase & Co., is also the longest-serving chief executive on Wall Street.
“It is a scary place to be,” Dimon told Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal.
In 2005, Dimon became CEO and president of the New York City-based financial services company, assuming the board chairman position a year later. Previously he served as president and chief operating officer, joining
JPMorgan Chase in 2004 following the acquisition of Bank One Corp., where Dimon had been chairman and CEO since 2000. Before joining Bank One, Dimon held a wide range of executive roles at Citigroup Inc., the Travelers Group, Commercial Credit Co. and American Express Co.
Dimon’s decision to sell $12 billion of subprime mortgages in 2006 buffered JPMorgan Chase against the 2008 crash, according to Forbes. President Trump was rumored to have Dimon on his shortlist for Treasury Secretary, but then chose the CEO to be on his policy forum until it was disbanded last year.
In September Dimon did an about face after saying he could beat Trump in an election, according to Reuters.
“I should not have said it. I’m not running for President,” Dimon said in a written statement released within an hour of his original comments.
Dimon said his original remark “proves I wouldn’t make a good politician. I get frustrated because I want all sides to come together to help solve big problems.”
That candidness is one of the reasons why Dimon was named the Most Authentic CEO in the Fortune 100 by Quantified Communications. Dimon is known for addressing everyone the same way — employees, investors, government officials and the public.
“Love him or hate him, Dimon comes across consistently,” said Noah Zandan, CEO of Quantified Communications. “Authentic communication is a key skill for all CEOs, but it is especially valuable in times of stress or crisis.”
Dimon is on the board of directors of Harvard Business School and Catalyst; chairman of the Business Roundtable; and a member of The Business Council. He is also on the board of trustees of New York University School of Medicine. Dimon does not serve on the board of any publicly traded company other than JPMorgan Chase.
He’s No. 28 on Chief Executive and RHR International’s CEO1000 Tracker, a ranking of the top 1,000 public/private companies.
Jamie Dimon, Chairman, President & CEO, JPMorgan
Headquarters: New York, NY
Age: 62
Education: Tufts University (BA), Harvard University (MBA)
First joined company: 2004
Positions prior to being named CEO: Chief Operating Officer
Named CEO: 2005