{{Short description|American businessman}} {{Infobox person | image = Kenneth Jacobs 2023.jpg | caption = Kenneth Jacobs in 2023 | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1958|09}} | birth_place = Greenburgh, New York, US | occupation = Senior Chairman and former CEO of Lazard | education = University of Chicago (BA)<br>Stanford University (MBA) | spouse = Agnès Mentre | children = 3 }}
'''Kenneth M. Jacobs''' (born September 1958)<ref name=CitationAOne>{{Cite news |last=Armitage |first=Jim |date=2023-07-06 |title=Lazard's Ken Jacobs: I'm taking the drama out of succession |newspaper=The Times |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/lazards-ken-jacobs-im-taking-the-drama-out-of-succession-spxksjt93 |access-date=2023-07-07 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> is an American business executive. He serves as Senior Chairman and Senior Advisor to the Board of Lazard.<ref name="website">{{cite news|title=Kenneth M. Jacobs|url=https://www.lazard.com/our-people/kenneth-jacobs}}</ref> Previously, he was the CEO and chairman of Lazard from 2009<ref name=CitationATwo>{{cite news |last1=Nguyen |first1=Lananh |title=Lazard names Orszag as CEO, Jacobs to become executive chairman |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/lazard-names-orszag-ceo-jacobs-become-executive-chairman-2023-05-26/ |work=Reuters |date=May 26, 2023}}</ref> until September 2023,<ref>{{cite news |last1=J. de la Merced |first1=Michael |title=New Leader at Lazard Is an Insider |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/business/18lazard.html |work=The New York Times |date=November 17, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lombardo |first1=Cara |title=Lazard Names Peter Orszag as Next CEO |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/lazard-names-peter-orszag-as-next-ceo-7a13aa31 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=May 26, 2023}}</ref> when he became executive chairman.<ref name=CitationATwo/>
== Biography == Born in Greenburgh, New York, in September 1958,<ref name=CitationAOne/> Jacobs received a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago and an M.B.A. from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.<ref name=CitationAThree/> He joined the financial company Lazard in 1988,<ref name=FT>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/6ce96056-2596-11e0-8258-00144feab49a.html#axzz3AP4EPYZj|title=Captain with a new style for the same game|publisher=Financial Times}}</ref> and was named a partner in 1991. In 2002 he was named deputy chairman and head of North America for Lazard.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ae5hGIBxknPQ|title=Lazard's Jacobs Was Constant Amid 21 Years of Changes|publisher=Bloomberg.com|accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="Postcrisis">{{cite web|url=http://www.institutionalinvestor.com/Article/2930287/Lazards-Model-Gaining-Traction-in-the-Postcrisis-World.html?ArticleId=2930287#.VBjsVi5dWpJ|title=Lazard's Model Gaining Traction in the Postcrisis World|website=Institutional Investor|accessdate=16 September 2014}}</ref> In this role, he focused on new markets and new practices,<ref name="Postcrisis"/> for example expanding Lazard’s financial advisory business via acquisitions.<ref name=FT />
In November 2009, the Lazard board elected Jacobs as chairman and chief executive officer.<ref>{{cite web |title=LAZARD NAMES KENNETH M. JACOBS CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326141/000119312509237656/dex991.htm |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}</ref> Lazard announced on May 26, 2023 that Jacobs would transition from CEO and chairman to executive chairman effective October 1, 2023, while continuing to advise clients on financial matters.<ref name=CitationAThree>{{Cite news |date=May 26, 2023 |title=Lazard Appoints Peter R. Orszag as CEO and Kenneth M. Jacobs as Executive Chairman |work=Lazard.com |url=https://www.lazard.com/news-announcements/lazard-appoints-peter-r-orszag-as-ceo-and-kenneth-m-jacobs-as-executive-chairman/}}</ref> In November 2024, Lazard announced that Jacobs would further transition to Senior Chairman of the company and Senior Advisor to the Board.<ref name="website"/>
In February 2026, Jacobs was appointed to the board of trustees of Vanguard.<ref name="Blumenthal">{{cite news|last=Blumenthal|first=Jeff|title=Vanguard expands board with 2 new directors|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2026/02/11/vanguard-pgim-hunt-expand-board.html|date=11 February 2026|work=Philadelphia Business Journal}}</ref> He is vice-chair of the both Board of Trustees at the University of Chicago<ref name="Dupre">{{cite news|last=Dupre|first=Brandon|title=University of Chicago extends president's contract|url=https://www.chicagobusiness.com/education/uchicago-extends-president-paul-alivisatos-contract|date=24 September 2025|website=Crain's Chicago Business}}</ref> and the board at the Brookings Institution.<ref name="Brookings">{{cite news|title=Kenneth M. Jacobs|url=https://www.brookings.edu/people/kenneth-m-jacobs}}</ref>
==Personal life== Jacobs is married to Agnès Mentre, daughter of French banker and politician, Paul Mentré;<ref>{{Cite news|first=Sabine |last=Delanglade |authorlink= |title= Kenneth Jacobs. Patron au mérite |newspaper=Les Echos|date=21 October 2019 |url= https://www.lesechos.fr/1997/04/sicav-monetaires-le-retour-aux-sources-812785 |accessdate=|language = French}}</ref> she was a former Lazard banker who later became a film producer including such credits as ''The Wrestler'', the Michael Moore documentary ''Fahrenheit 9/11'',<ref>{{Cite news|first= Charles|last=Wallace |authorlink= |title= Lazard's Model Gaining Traction in the Postcrisis World |newspaper=Institutional Investor|date= November 7, 2011|url= https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b150zrqvq9fx8f/lazards-model-gaining-traction-in-the-postcrisis-world |accessdate=}}</ref> and ''Wind River''. They have two daughters and a son.<ref name=CitationAOne />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.lazard.com/our-people/kenneth-jacobs/ Profile at Lazard as Executive Chairman]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobs, Kenneth M.}} Category:American chief executives of financial services companies Category:Living people Category:Members of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group Category:Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni Category:University of Chicago alumni Category:American Jews Category:1958 births Category:University of Chicago trustees