Being the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of a global exchange business is great. So much so that Jeffrey Sprecher, Chairman & CEO InterContinental Exchange was named the most influential individual in the exchange and market structure universe.

The crowning comes from Patrick Young & Exchange Invest, who has recently launched its ranking of The World’s Most Influential People in Market Structure, also known as The Exchange Invest 1000 (EI1000). Using a sophisticated methodology, the EI1000 index ranks individuals according to the level of influence these figures have on the sector.

The Index lists the 1000 most influential professionals in order of significance as measured by a series of algorithms and encompasses some 145 jurisdictions and over 500 different companies and organisations.

Exchange Invest have drawn on their in-house expertise in the field of market structure of all kinds to develop a series of algorithms, which rank individuals according to the level of influence these figures have on the sector, helping to determine their qualification for the EI1000. Key criteria used in the methodology’s algorithms include: an individual’s incumbency, project execution and involvement with industry associations as well as their thought power and leadership, not to mention displaying an awareness of business trends beyond their direct responsibilities.

The full EI1000 index includes 34 sub-categories covering everything from the ‘top 10 overall’, the most influential CEOs, entrepreneurs, women, regulators, politicians, industry associations, fintech and blockchain enthusiasts, dealmakers and overall visionaries, to name but a few.

Patrick Young, CEO of Exchange Invest and author of EI1000, said: “It has taken over two years to create this index and involved reducing a long list of over 7500 people  to a short list of circa 1500, before finalising the definite 1000 most influential individuals in the world of exchanges and market structure”.

“We have taken a thorough approach to our selection process, paying tribute to the men and women who shape global financial markets and infrastructure and we look forward to expanding on our annual index for years to come.”

EI1000 includes 34 sub-categories covering everything from the most influential CEOs, entrepreneurs, women, regulators, politicians, industry associations, fintech and blockchain enthusiasts, dealmakers and visionaries.

Here are the overall top 10 Most Influential Individuals in Exchanges and Market Structure:

1 Jeffrey Sprecher, Chairman & CEO InterContinental Exchange

2 Michael Spencer, CEO NEX Group

3 Charles Li Xiaojia, CEO HKEX

4 Margrethe Vestager, Commissioner DG Comp EU

5 Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman & CEO BGC

6 Adena T. Friedman, CEO NASDAQ

7 Donald Brydon CBE, Group Chairman LSEG

8 Craig S. Donohue, Executive Chairman & CEO OCC

9 Edward T. Tilly, CEO CBOE WFE Working Committee Chairman

10 Lance Uggla, President IHS Markit

Also, the survey ranked the top 10 most influential Exchange CEOs and Regulators:

Top 10 CEOs

1 Jeffrey Sprecher ICE
2 Charles Li Xiaojia HKEX
3 Adena T. Friedman NASDAQ
4 Edward T. Tilly CBOE
5 Thomas Farley NYSE
6 Terrence A. Duffy CME Group
7 Xavier Rolet KBE LSEG
8 Brad Katsuyama IEX
9 Akira Kiyota Japan Exchange Group
10 Carsten Kengeter DB1

Top 10 Regulators:

1 Margrethe Vestager, DG Comp EU

2 Steven Maijoor, ESMA Chairman

3 Jay Clayton, SEC Chairman

4 J. Christopher Giancarlo, CFTC Chairman

5 Shiyu Liu, China Securities Regulatory Commission Chairman

6 Andrew Bailey, Financial Conduct Authority UK CEO

7 Ajay Tyagi, SEBI Chairman

8 Gerard Rameix, Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) President

9 Ashley Ian Alder, Securities and Futures Commission Hong Kong CEO

10 Ryozo Himino, Financial Services Agency Japan, Vice Minister for International Affairs

The report categories include:

1. Exchange CEOs
2. Exchange Chairmen
3. CCPs
4. IDBs
5. Regulators
6. Politicians
7. Central Bankers
8. Dealmakers
9. Visionaries
10. Thinkers
11. Ten To Watch
12. Women (World)
13. Women USA
14. Women UK
15. Women Europe ex-UK
16. Women Middle East Africa & Asia
17. Established Entrepreneurs
18. StartUp Entrepreneurs
19. Industry Associations
20. Tech Gurus
21. FinTech
22. Blockchain
23. Journalists
24. Eminences Grises

Geographical Breakdowns of the report:

1. North America
2. Europe
3. S-E Asia
4. China
5. Subcontinental Superstars
6. Middle East
7. CEESEG
8. LatAm
9. Africa
10. Australasia

The EI1000 book also includes those who have resigned or retired from the exchange ‘parish’ during the period of calculation. Meanwhile, those who would have been included in previous years, but have fallen out of the index, are in the ‘relegated’ section.

The final section pays tribute to those in the market structure who have recently passed on: from Euronext boss Jean-Francois Theodore via Rory Collins, the trailblazing CTO of the Australian Stock Exchange to former NASDAQ President Magnus Bocker.

Patrick Young, CEO of Exchange Invest and author of EI1000, said: “It has taken over two years to create this index and involved reducing a long list of over 7500 people  to a short list of circa 1500, before finalizing the definite 1000 most influential individuals in the world of exchanges and market structure”.

“We have taken a thorough approach to our selection process, paying tribute to the men and women who shape global financial markets and infrastructure and we look forward to expanding on our annual index for years to come.”