JPMorgan has appointed Xi Chen as Managing Director and Head of AI for Electronic Markets, according to an internal memo cited by media reports. Chen will report to Chi Nzelu, who leads the Quantitative Trading and Research (QTR) division, a unit established earlier this year by the bank to advance its systematic trading strategy.

Nzelu praised Chen's appointment, noting that his "unique combination of academic depth and hands-on industry experience will be indispensable as machine learning continues to transform how trading strategies are developed and executed."

Chen's academic journey began at Xi'an Jiaotong University's Gifted Young Class, where he earned a bachelor's degree in computer science. He then moved to the United States, first completing a master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business before transitioning to the university's machine learning department for doctoral studies under a leading scholar in the field. Following his PhD, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship lasting over a year under artificial intelligence pioneer Michael I. Jordan, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

Prior to this role, Chen served as a professor in New York University's Stern School of Business technology, operations, and statistics department, where he also held the position of Andre Meyer research fellow. Before joining JPMorgan, he was the chief research scientist at Amazon Ads, where he led initiatives in global advertising auction modeling, delivery and pacing algorithms, supply forecasting, advertiser bidding systems, and large language model-driven performance measurement.

Chen has published more than 120 academic papers and authored three professional books. His collaborative work extends to Google, Meta, Adobe, Bloomberg, and Alibaba, spanning platform design, AI/ML systems, pricing, and financial analytics. He has also served as an expert advisor to Compass Lexecon, a unit of FTI Consulting, providing economic and technical expertise on AI, digital platforms, and Web3-related matters.

In response to his appointment, Chen shared on LinkedIn: "At JPMorgan, I will be building the AI Market Lab, dedicated to developing foundation models and agentic systems for next-generation systematic trading, market making, and electronic markets. I firmly believe financial markets represent one of the most promising frontiers for artificial intelligence, where the reasoning, memory, and real-time decision-making capabilities required will fundamentally reshape how markets operate. I am deeply grateful to Chi Nzelu for the trust, vision, and support he has shown during this transition. I look forward to working closely with Chi and the outstanding team at JPMorgan to shape the future of AI in electronic markets."