Jay Jacobs is U.S. Head of Thematics and Active Equity ETFs at BlackRock. In this role, Jay is responsible for the research and development of the Megatrends suite, driving commercialization of these products, as well as managing product sales and marketing for the Megatrend franchise. Jay is also responsible for BlackRock's active equity and international ETF suites.

Previously, Jay joined Global X ETFs in 2013 and founded the firm's Research and Strategy team, which originates the firm's insights on markets and ETFs. He also guided the planning and development of the firm's strategic direction. Prior to joining Global X, Jay was a business analyst at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in the ETF and Indexing Group, where he helped to launch hundreds of ETFs on the NYSE Arca trading platform.

Jay is a frequently cited expert in print and online publications as well as broadcast media including CNBC, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. He holds a BA from Emory University in International Studies and an MBA from Columbia Business School. He is a CFA charterholder.

Jay is a member of the executive advisory board of Columbia Business School's Program for Financial Studies. He resides in the New York area and is an avid explorer, spending his spare time in the outdoors hiking, skiing, kayaking, and mountain biking.