In honor of Women’s History Month, we interviewed leaders and trailblazers of the WIN (Women In Nasdaq) network, discussing their roles, diverse backgrounds, and what it means to be a role model for young women looking to pursue a career in business, tech or finance. We spoke with Ann Dennison, who is Nasdaq’s newest Chief Financial Officer.
With more than 20 years of experience in financial reporting and analysis, you are now Nasdaq’s newest CFO. What are some of your top priorities as you begin your new position?
A major priority for me is to ensure we continue to build on the strong momentum we have across all of our businesses. Transitioning into the role of CFO at a time when Nasdaq has continued to prove its resilience and innovative thinking is a tremendous opportunity. It was critical for Nasdaq to seamlessly transition the entire company to a remote working environment during the initial stages of the pandemic last year, and we have seen that hard work result in stronger relationships with our clients.
What are you most looking forward to in this role?
I look forward to continuing to work closely with our CEO, Adena Friedman, our Board of Directors and our highly-engaged employees to further fuel our success as a leading technology company serving the capital markets, as well as meeting the needs of our diverse set of stakeholders.
What is something that people might not know about being Nasdaq’s CFO?
While CFO’s are traditionally responsible for several primary functions within a company, like corporate finance and investor relations, over the last decade, corporate sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting have emerged as a key area of focus for finance teams.
Nasdaq has a long history of ESG leadership, as demonstrated by our own operations and the products and services we offer to our clients. We manage our own business to the highest standards of sustainability, ESG reporting, transparency and accountability. These efforts have driven more detailed engagement regarding our sustainability disclosures with key stakeholders in the investment community through our annualized ESG reporting. I’m incredibly excited to be supporting these areas as CFO.
What is so unique about working at Nasdaq?
Our company culture is dynamic, collaborative, and above all, inclusive. It’s incredibly special to be surrounded by colleagues who are passionate about our mission and empowered to think creatively to help our clients succeed.
What have been some of your biggest pieces of learned career advice to pass along to young professionals?
I always encourage others to develop strong relationships with their managers, peers and teammates. Seek out a mentor or a sponsor; you can truly learn from everyone, regardless of their title. And lastly, be open about your ambitions and speak up for what you want, whether it be a new assignment or career advancement. This transparency gives your managers the opportunity to give you guidance and the support you need to make the next steps happen.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.