Like the city it's based in, the New York Stock Exchange doesn't take breaks.
This truth applies to the entire Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, which acquired the NYSE in 2013, and has been reinforced for NYSE Group President Lynn Martin many times.
"At ICE, it's common for us to build new bridges while cars continue to drive across them," she said.
Traffic also didn't slow while Martin built ICE's data services business nor during the multiyear transfer of all the NYSE equity and options exchanges to the NYSE Pillar trading technology platform.
Fortunately, the changes were worth the pressure.
"The upgrade brought all NYSE markets onto one of the world's most powerful and resilient technology stacks, resulting in significant benefits for both issuers and market participants," she said.
Martin was appointed president of NYSE Group in 2022. That same year, she became chair of fixed income and data services, or FIDS, at ICE.
When asked how it felt to take senior leadership positions in the global market, Martin noted that, while it was a little intimidating, the support she received from others helped her believe in herself.
"Don't be afraid to take risks and say 'yes' to jobs that you don't necessarily feel 100% qualified to take on," she said. "If someone is asking you to take on a position, it's because they believe you are more than capable of taking on that role."
Martin manages NYSE's five equity exchanges — NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, NYSE National and NYSE Chicago — plus its two options exchanges, NYSE Arca Options and NYSE American Options.
Her responsibilities include overseeing the NYSE's 2,400 issuers, attracting new business and listings and ensuring the technology operates efficiently and effectively. Martin also communicates with federal officials in Washington on public policy and market structure and advises on sustainability initiatives, among other duties.
As FIDS chair, she leads a business that comprises ICE Bonds execution venues, securities pricing and analytics, reference data, indices, desktop solutions and more.
In 2023, ICE generated record total revenues of $2.2 billion under her leadership of the FIDS segment, up 7% from a year earlier. Revenues in the ICE Bonds business were up 23% in 2023, after nearly doubling in 2022, thanks to continued efforts to build connectivity across the platform, Martin said.
In her spare time, Martin is on the board of Manhattan College, serves as director of the Partnership for New York City and the Inner-City Scholarship Fund and is a member of the New York State Emerging Technology Advisory Board.
On top of everything, she's also a mom of two.
"It's important to be able to rely on your team both at home and in the office," Martin said. "I feel lucky to have the best teams — both my supportive husband and family unit as well as my supportive NYSE team that make it possible."
