JP Morgan's Dimon Recovering From Emergency Heart Surgery

Tom Burroughes

6 March 2020

JP Morgan’s chief executive Jamie Dimon is recovering from emergency heart surgery performed yesterday. Two of his deputies are taking over while he recovers.

Dimon, 63, suffered a tear in his heart's main artery, which was detected early and treated successfully, the bank said in a memo that was publicly issued and shown to Family Wealth Report.

The CEO is "awake, alert and recovering well," the memo said.

The bank's co-presidents and co-chief operating officers, Daniel Pinto and Gordon Smith, sent the message to all employees, and are running as Dimon recovers.

A prominent figure in US banking, Dimon has been at the helm for more than 10 years, a period including the global financial crash. He is outspoken in defense of the banking sector and free market capitalism, contrasting perhaps with what can appear to be a muted stance by some of his peers.

The CEO has wrestled with health issues before, recovering from cancer treatment in 2014.