Virtu Financial, LLC - Board of Directors

Michael T. Viola became a member of the board of directors of Virtu Financial, Inc. in April 2016. Mr. Viola previously served as a senior trader for the Company, focused on foreign exchange products and global commodities. Mr. Viola currently serves as the President of the Viola family’s private investment office, located in New York City. In addition, Mr. Viola is a member of the board of directors of Independent Bank Group, Inc., which he joined in February 2013. Mr. Viola also served on the board of a family-founded nonprofit organization focused on Catholic education initiatives in inner-city communities from 2010 to 2011. Mr. Viola’s experience as a trader across multiple asset classes along with his public company board experience add significant value to the board of directors.

Douglas Cifu is the Chief Executive Officer of Virtu Financial and was a co-founder of Virtu in 2008. Previously, he was a partner at the international law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. At Paul Weiss, Mr. Cifu served as a member of the Management Committee, Deputy Chair of the Corporate Department and co-head of the Private Equity Group.

He is recognized in Chambers USA and Legal 500 as a leading mergers and acquisitions lawyer for buyouts and private equity transactions. In 2006, Private Equity International listed him among the 30 most influential lawyers currently working in global private equity, citing his expertise in technology-driven sectors. He has been recognized by Crain’s New York Business in its “Technology 100,” a listing of the top 100 people working in technology in the New York area. In 2020, he was recognized as the #3 top FinTech CEO by The Financial Technology Report.

He serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the board of visitors of Columbia College at Columbia University.

Mr. Cifu earned his J.D. at Columbia Law School in 1990 and his B.A. magna cum laude from Columbia University in 1987 where he was also elected as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Vincent Viola is our Founder and has served as our Executive Chairman since November 2013. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Virtu Financial and its predecessors since April 2008. Mr. Viola is one of the nation's foremost leaders in electronic trading. He was the founder of Virtu East in 2008, a founder of Madison Tyler Holdings in 2002 and the former Chairman of the NYMEX. Mr. Viola started his career in the financial services industry on the floor of the NYMEX and became Vice Chairman from 1993 to 1996 and Chairman from 2001 to 2004. Mr. Viola graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1977. He later graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne, Infantry and Ranger Schools and served in the 101st Airborne Division. In 1983, he graduated from the New York Law School. Mr. Viola's extensive business experience in the financial services industry provides the board of directors with valuable knowledge and experience in the electronic trading and market making business. In addition, as our founder, Mr. Viola has successfully led Virtu since its inception and provides the board of directors with valuable insight regarding strategic decisions and the future direction of our Company.

William F. Cruger, Jr. became a member of the board of directors of Virtu Financial, Inc. in 2014. He was most recently Vice Chairman of Investment Banking at J.P. Morgan and Co. where he was responsible for key client relationships on a global basis. Previously Mr. Cruger held a number of senior positions at J.P. Morgan, including Managing Director in the Financial Institutions group from 1996 to 2011. During this time he also oversaw the rationalization of the firm's private equity investments in trading platforms and related ventures at Lab Morgan from 2000-2001. Prior to this, Mr. Cruger ran the firm's investment banking practices in Japan from 1991-1996, Latin America from 1989-1991 and Emerging Asia from 1984-1988. Mr. Cruger currently serves on the board of MarketAxess Holdings Inc. and has previously served on the boards of Archipelago Holdings, Inc., CreditTrade, Inc. and Capital IQ, Inc. He has an M.B.A. from Columbia University and a B.A. from Clark University. Mr. Cruger's extensive experience in financial markets and financial leadership adds significant value to the board of directors.

Virginia Gambale is a Managing Partner of Azimuth Partners LLC, where she operates globally, as an advisor and consultant, focused on growth and innovation strategies for technology and technology driven services companies in both middle market and large corporations and advisor to startup companies. She is highly regarded for her innovative thinking, leadership, and ability to deliver results. Ms. Gambale has served on over 20 Public and Private boards including: JetBlue, Motive, Piper Jaffray, Workbrain, Synchronoss Technologies and IQ Financial, among others.

As a former senior operating executive of Global Corporations, she held senior management positions (including CIO and Managing Director) at: Merrill Lynch, Bankers Trust, Deutsche Bank and Marsh & McLennan. Additionally, Ms. Gambale was the Head of Deutsche Bank Strategic Ventures, and subsequently a General Partner at Deutsche Bank Capital until founding Azimuth Partners in 2003. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University and Mentor for Columbia University’s Masters in Technology Leadership and is a frequent lecturer and keynote speaker on the strategic use of emerging technologies. Ms. Gambale holds a B.S. from New York Institute of Technology-Old Westbury.

Mr. Grano, Jr. became a member of our board of directors in October 2017. Mr. Grano has more than 30 years of experience in the securities and financial services industries. Mr. Grano currently serves as the Principal Partner of the JJG Family Office, which primarily engages in advisory services. From 2001 to 2004, he was Chairman and CEO of UBS Financial Services Inc. (formerly UBS PaineWebber), where he was instrumental in helping to bring about the merger of PaineWebber with UBS in 2000. Prior to joining PaineWebber, he held various senior management positions with Merrill Lynch & Co., including Director of National Sales. Mr. Grano also serves as senior advisor to SkyBridge Capital, a global alternative investment firm, and served previously as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) (predecessor to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)), and was formerly a member of the NASD’s Executive Committee. In addition to his industry experience, Mr. Grano serves as a member of the City University of New York’s Business Leadership Council and Chairman of the Corporate Advisory Board of Law Enforcement Against Drugs, and from 2002 until 2005 served as the Chairman of the Homeland Security Advisory Council. He has also previously served as the Vice Chairman of the Queens College Foundation Board of Trustees, and has previously sat on the board of directors of the YMCA of Greater New York and on the board of Lenox Hill Hospital, among his other civic and philanthropic endeavors. Mr. Grano holds Honorary Doctorate of Law degrees from Pepperdine University and Babson College as well as Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from Queens College, City University of New York and Central Connecticut State University. In addition, he holds an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree from the University of New Haven.

Joanne Minieri is the Senior Executive Vice President of RXR Realty (RXR) and Chief Operating Officer of RXR Development Services and RXR Construction Services. RXR is a vertically integrated private real estate company with expertise across the entire real estate lifecycle that spans investment management, development, design, construction, leasing financing and property management.

Ms. Minieri brings more than 37 years’ experience in senior leadership positions in the real estate and financial services sectors, including professional accounting, and tax and consulting services for both public and private companies. She has served as Deputy County Executive and Commissioner for Suffolk County Economic Development and Planning, President and Chief Operating Officer of Forest City Ratner Companies, as well as leadership roles in professional accounting, tax and consulting services.

She serves on numerous public and private boards including, Trinity Place Holdings, Inc., Hofstra University, Non-Traditional Employment of Women (NEW), Greater Girl Scouts of America and NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate and co-chairs an annual National Women in Real Estate Symposium.

Ms. Minieri is a CPA and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hofstra University and is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts and the New York Society of Certified Public Accountants.

John D. Nixon became a member of the board of directors of Virtu Financial, Inc. in May of 2015. Prior to joining the Virtu Board of Directors, John Nixon was the Group Executive Director of ICAP Plc, and has more than 35 years’ of international experience in the interdealer broking industry. He served as a non-executive director of ICAP from 1998 to 2002 and was appointed an executive director in May 2008. John was a member of the ICAP Global Executive Committee from 2003 through to March 2015 with responsibility for a number of business divisions as well as corporate strategy, client and investor relations and strategic acquisitions. Mr. Nixon's is recognized as leader in the financial services industry with extensive experience in building businesses, corporate strategy and market structure which adds significant value to the board of directors.

Christopher C. Quick became a member of the board of directors of Virtu Financial, Inc. in April 2016. Mr. Quick has more than 30 years of experience in the securities and financial services industries. He is the former CEO of Banc of America Specialist, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation and member firm of the NYSE. He is also a past Vice Chairman of Global Wealth and Investment Management with Bank of America. From 1982 to 2004, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Q&R Specialist, JJC Specialist and Fleet Specialists where he remained following the firm's acquisition by Bank of America Corporation. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Mutual of America. He is also a former member of the NYSE Board of Directors and the board of directors of KCG Holdings, Inc. (“KCG”). Mr. Quick received a B.S. in Finance from Fairfield University in 1979. Mr. Quick’s deep industry experience and strategic insight add significant value to the board of directors.

Mr. Urban has more than 20 years’ experience in senior leadership positions in business, legal, military, political and public service roles, including his current position as Managing Director at BGR Group, a leading bipartisan lobbying and public relations firm. Previously, Mr. Urban served as Executive Vice President, North American Corporate Affairs at ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok and President of the American Continental Group, a leading bi-partisan government affairs and strategic consulting firm In addition Mr. Urban previously served in the United States Army’s 101 Airborne Division. Mr. Urban currently serves as a Director for various other private technology focused companies.

John F. (Jack) Sandner served as an independent board member of Virtu Financial, Inc. since Virtu’s IPO in April 2015 and had been a member of Virtu Financial's board of directors since November 2011. He was a prominent member of the industry, serving a number of board and advisory roles including CME Group Inc., E*Trade Futures, LLC, National Futures Association, Ryan Specialty Group, Echo Global Logistics, Inc. and Click Commerce Inc. He was also President and CEO of RB&H Financial Services, L.P., a futures commission merchant and clearing firm and clearing firm of CME Group. Jack passed away in March 2021. Click here to read our press release remembering Jack.

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