# Kenneth M. Jacobs

> Kenneth M. Jacobs is an American investment banker and senior advisor at Lazard, which he joined in 1988 and led as chairman and CEO from November 2009 through September 2023. He serves on Vanguard’s board and was elected in July 2026 to succeed its nonexecutive chairman following Mark Loughridge’s retirement at the end of 2026. His other institutional roles include vice chair of the boards of trustees of the University of Chicago and the Brookings Institution.

- **Role:** Senior Advisor at Lazard; director and chairman-elect at Vanguard
- **Organizations:** Lazard, Vanguard, University of Chicago, Brookings Institution, Partnership for New York City, Council on Foreign Relations
- **From:** Greenburgh, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA in Economics, University of Chicago, MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
- **Known for:** Led Lazard as chairman and CEO for approximately fourteen years., Helped expand Lazard’s North American advisory practices and offices before becoming global CEO., Lazard reported record annual operating revenue of $3.139 billion for 2021 during his CEO tenure.

## Career timeline

- **1988** — Joined Lazard after working at Goldman Sachs.
- **1991** — Named a Lazard partner.
- **2002** — Became deputy chairman and head of Lazard North America.
- **2005** — Elected a University of Chicago trustee.
- **2009** — Appointed chairman and CEO of Lazard on November 17.
- **2017** — Inducted into the French Legion of Honor.
- **2023** — Became executive chairman on October 1 as Peter Orszag succeeded him as CEO.
- **2025** — Became senior chairman of Lazard and senior advisor to its board.
- **2026** — Joined Vanguard’s board on February 24; elected its next nonexecutive chairman in July. Lazard lists him as senior advisor following the end of his senior chairman tenure in July.

## Achievements

- Led Lazard as chairman and CEO for approximately fourteen years.
- Helped expand Lazard’s North American advisory practices and offices before becoming global CEO.
- Lazard reported record annual operating revenue of $3.139 billion for 2021 during his CEO tenure.
- Inducted into the French Legion of Honor in 2017.
- Elected Vanguard’s next nonexecutive chairman in July 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — Vanguard announced his election as its next nonexecutive chairman, succeeding Mark Loughridge following Loughridge’s retirement on December 31, 2026.
- **2026-07** — His Lazard biography records that his tenure as senior chairman ended in July 2026; he remains a senior advisor.
- **2026-02** — Joined the Vanguard board of directors and the board of trustees for each Vanguard fund effective February 24.
- **2025-03** — Published “America’s Faustian Trade Bargain,” a commentary on US trade policy.

## Links

- Website: https://www.lazard.com/our-people/kenneth-jacobs/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethjacobs

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Last updated: 2026-10-23