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Market Mover: Lessons from a Decade of Change at Nasdaq
The former CEO and Chairman of Nasdaq shares insights and lessons learned from one of the world's largest stock exchanges, detailing the company's transformation from a fledgling U.S. equities market to a global financial technology company.
During 2003, the U.S. economy was described by one economist as "nervous, anxious, and waiting." In December the Dow had topped 10,000 for the first time in a year and a half, and at year's end the markets were up for the first time since 1999. But in the same year, American troops had moved into Iraq, and corporate boards were cutting CEOs at the slightest signs of trouble.
Amidst this turmoil Robert Greifeld, a former tech entrepreneur from outside the Wall Street bubble, became CEO of Nasdaq, a position he would hold for the next thirteen years. He saw the company through one of the most mercurial economic periods in the Bernie Madoff mega-scandal; Facebook's tumultuous and disastrous IPO; Hurricane Sandy's disruption of the world's financial hub; the implosion of America's housing market and the global economic crash that followed, from which we have yet to fully recover. In Market Mover , Bob will write a first-hand account of the most critical moments of his career, with each chapter focusing on a headline-making event and ending with a prescriptive takeaway to impart to his readers.
Now Bob, who stepped aside as Nasdaq's CEO at the end of 2016, is eager to look back at more than a decade of transformational change that occurred on his watch in order to share his insights and lessons with business readers.
During 2003, the U.S. economy was described by one economist as "nervous, anxious, and waiting." In December the Dow had topped 10,000 for the first time in a year and a half, and at year's end the markets were up for the first time since 1999. But in the same year, American troops had moved into Iraq, and corporate boards were cutting CEOs at the slightest signs of trouble.
Amidst this turmoil Robert Greifeld, a former tech entrepreneur from outside the Wall Street bubble, became CEO of Nasdaq, a position he would hold for the next thirteen years. He saw the company through one of the most mercurial economic periods in the Bernie Madoff mega-scandal; Facebook's tumultuous and disastrous IPO; Hurricane Sandy's disruption of the world's financial hub; the implosion of America's housing market and the global economic crash that followed, from which we have yet to fully recover. In Market Mover , Bob will write a first-hand account of the most critical moments of his career, with each chapter focusing on a headline-making event and ending with a prescriptive takeaway to impart to his readers.
Now Bob, who stepped aside as Nasdaq's CEO at the end of 2016, is eager to look back at more than a decade of transformational change that occurred on his watch in order to share his insights and lessons with business readers.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published October 8, 2019
22 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 2, 2020
A thoroughly interesting read about everything finance. Greifeld sounds like a very determined, intelligent and humble individual whom understands the importance of innovating and accepting failures. The merger stories and the amount of ‘potential’ mergers that collapsed was staggering. This also interested me with content related to financial technology and the relevancy of blockchain. Overall, a really interesting book, which is well-written by a level-headed and very well connected high finance mogul.
December 9, 2019
Anyone who plays in the Nasdaq sandbox will enjoy this book. Ditto anyone who runs a business or company, or aspires to (no matter the size of the venture), because Market Mover is about leadership and decision-making, a "language" Greifeld speaks fluently.
February 9, 2021
Robert Greifeld is a very good salesman, seems like a nice guy, and apparently is very successful. it was interesting to see the major developments of NASDAQ after the 21st century from the point of view of its major force, apparently Greifeld himself. I had visited NASDAQ in the early 1970s when it was a rinky-dink office with a great view of the Hudson River supplying electronic quotations of American stocks. I am impressed by its transformation.
However, the last parts of the book demonstrate his salesmanship and belief in a product that I am not sure has proven reliability yet. All in all, I'm not sure this is a profitable read.
However, the last parts of the book demonstrate his salesmanship and belief in a product that I am not sure has proven reliability yet. All in all, I'm not sure this is a profitable read.
October 25, 2022
I have read a number of books of former CEOs reflecting on their time with their various companies. I have to say that this book was by far one of the most interesting ones I’ve ever read.
Robert Greifeld writes very simply but effectively about his time with the NASDAQ, and despite having steered a major company in exchange to the trials and tribulations of the 2008 crash has very clearly maintained the humility and sense of humor that is very often absent from such works.
Not so much a blow-by-blow retelling as it is a collection of formative stories it is time dealing with the NASDAQ. The book maintains a sense of kinetic energy and engagement by throwing out both anecdotes and personal bits of information.
I think it’s interesting because I learned more from this about adapting to new technologies, rolling with the punches, making active choices in leader ship and sticking with them, and a host of other topics he covers. But you also get a sense of the van from south, and unlike a lot of other books where the author tries to position themselves as uniquely qualified or the right man for the right moment no such self-aggrandizement exists with it as, Robert simply explains why he made the decisions he made at the time and frankly doesn’t try and cover up the lumps.
This is a refreshingly honest look back at a CEOs time at the helm and I learned a great deal both about how you might act in certain situations, and I how one might be able to reflect and support themselves after they left a position.
I’d recommend this for anybody who is looking for a CEO success story with the health and healthy dash of compassion and humor.
Robert Greifeld writes very simply but effectively about his time with the NASDAQ, and despite having steered a major company in exchange to the trials and tribulations of the 2008 crash has very clearly maintained the humility and sense of humor that is very often absent from such works.
Not so much a blow-by-blow retelling as it is a collection of formative stories it is time dealing with the NASDAQ. The book maintains a sense of kinetic energy and engagement by throwing out both anecdotes and personal bits of information.
I think it’s interesting because I learned more from this about adapting to new technologies, rolling with the punches, making active choices in leader ship and sticking with them, and a host of other topics he covers. But you also get a sense of the van from south, and unlike a lot of other books where the author tries to position themselves as uniquely qualified or the right man for the right moment no such self-aggrandizement exists with it as, Robert simply explains why he made the decisions he made at the time and frankly doesn’t try and cover up the lumps.
This is a refreshingly honest look back at a CEOs time at the helm and I learned a great deal both about how you might act in certain situations, and I how one might be able to reflect and support themselves after they left a position.
I’d recommend this for anybody who is looking for a CEO success story with the health and healthy dash of compassion and humor.
February 8, 2025
I had been meaning to read/listen to this one for awhile. I listened to this over the span of two weeks. Overall for a business book it’s pretty good and does a good job of being business history instead of business lessons or how to. Business history is always more interesting and a better read/listen. There were some dry parts such as talks about trading systems. I really enjoyed the sections on acquisition attempts and successful ones, plus the chapter on the fallout from a bad listing experience with Facebook and how to handle those situations as a leader. Also it should be noted that the author led the company for 14 years and in that time the company saw a 6x increase in valuation. His hand picked successor has continued that uptrend. For business leaders this is a worthwhile book. 4 stars
January 4, 2021
A wonderful story of how Nasdaq was brought back to glory from the brink of collapse. The author provides enough details on the changes that happened in the securities market industry without making it too technical for the layman.
Quite a few wonderful management lessons wrt mergers and acquisitions are interwoven as well.
Quite a few wonderful management lessons wrt mergers and acquisitions are interwoven as well.
August 30, 2020
I have a high respect to Robert Greifeld. As a person who is also running a financial exchange, he did something that most business executives can hardly do, turn around a failling organization and make it the leader of its industry.
November 25, 2024
Robert was the CEO of NASDAQ from early 2000s to 2016
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews