Jim Cracchiolo is chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Ameriprise Financial, a global financial leader with approximately 10,000 financial advisors and more than 2 million individual, business and institutional clients.
He has more than 35 years of experience in financial services and has been chairman and CEO of Ameriprise since September 2005, when the company, American Express Financial Advisors, completed its spinoff from American Express. Since leading the spinoff — which was the sixth largest in U.S. history at the time — Cracchiolo has grown the company’s market capital position from $8 billion to more than $20 billion. Today, Ameriprise holds leading positions in each of its key businesses — financial planning and wealth management, asset management, insurance, and annuities.
Prior to his current role, Cracchiolo held a number of senior-level positions at American Express, including group president of American Express Global Financial Services (2000 – 2005); chairman, CEO and president of American Express Financial Advisors; chairman of American Express Bank; CEO of Travel Related Services (TRS); chairman of Threadneedle Asset Management Limited (2003 – present); president and CEO of TRS International (1998 – 2000); president of Global Network Services (1997 –1998); senior vice president of TRS Quality, Global Reengineering (1993 – 1997); and executive vice president and chief financial officer of Shearson Lehman Brothers (then a unit of American Express) (1990 –1993).
With a record of proven leadership in running global businesses with large-scale operations and thousands of employees, Cracchiolo possesses a strong financial background, and effective, long-term strategic planning and risk management expertise. He has built new businesses, restructured significant lines of businesses, and negotiated and integrated several successful acquisitions.
In addition, Cracchiolo is a member of the Business Roundtable and the Financial Services Roundtable. He previously served on the boards of directors of the American Council of Life Insurers and the Financial Services Roundtable and on the board of advisors to the March of Dimes Foundation.
Cracchiolo holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and economics and a master's of business administration degree in finance, both from New York University Stern School of Business. He is a licensed certified public accountant in New York state and is Series 7 and 24 certified in the United States.