Jordan Banks is a Canadian businessman, currently serving as President of . Prior to this, he served as Facebook's Global Head of Vertical Strategy, as well as, the Managing Director of Facebook Canada. Prior to Facebook he was the CEO of JumpTV, a publicly traded online provider of live and on-demand sports and international television that merged with Charles Wang’s Neulion Inc. in 2008. Before JumpTV, Banks served as the Managing Director for eBay Canada, a division that he helped launch in 2000. In 2012, Banks was named "The Most Influential Innovator in Canada" by the Financial Post. In 2014, Banks was named as one of "Canada's 50 Most Powerful Business People" by Canadian Business.
In 1994, Banks started his career as a lawyer working for Goodmans, a Toronto-based law firm. In 1997, he was asked to join the National Hockey League Players Association where he was an executive in its Licensing and International Business group. Banks was then hired as the second employee at eBay Canada and helped launched the organization in 2000. In 2005, he was made Managing Director, a position that he retained until his departure in 2007. During his time at eBay, the Canadian division grew to over $1 Billion dollars in activity. In October 2007, Banks assumed the role of CEO of JumpTV and helped architect the merger between JumpTV and Charles Wang’s Neulion Inc. Following his time at JumpTV, Banks co-founded Thunder Road Capital, an investment and advisory firm focused on supporting early-stage technology companies. To date, the firm has made 19 investments. Banks was the Managing Director of Facebook Canada. As of February 2014, 19 million Canadians log into Facebook every month with more than 14 million doing so everyday. In addition to managing the Canadian operations, Banks was named Global Head of Vertical Strategy in 2013. Banks was .
Boards and affiliations
Banks was the founder of Sportsfest, an annual sporting event that raised more than $1 million dollars for Alzheimer's research and care. He also created the "1 Million Tweets To Remember" Twitter movement as a way to create a digital legacy for those affected by Alzheimer's Disease. Banks has furthered his commitment to Alzheimer's research and care by serving on the Board of Directors of The Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, a research and education hospital with a focus on developing and providing innovations in ageing and brain health. Banks also sits on the Board of Advisors for Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Additionally, Banks currently serves on the Board of Directors for Cineplex Entertainment and The Hospital For Sick Children Foundation. In 2012, Banks was appointed to the Board of Governors for the University of Waterloo. Banks is a charter member of the C100, a business mentor to Extreme Startups. and special advisor to the Next 36.
Honors
In 2006, Banks was one of four inaugural winners of the Hugo Boss "Leave A Mark Award" celebrating "Men of Excellence" in Canada. Jordan Banks is a recipient of Canada’s "Top 40 Under 40". In 2012, Jordan was invited to deliver "The Last Lecture" at the University of Western Ontario. In 2012, The Financial Post selected Jordan as "The Most Influential Innovator In Canada". In 2014, Canadian Business named Banks one of "The 50 Most Powerful Business People in Canada". That same year, Banks was also named one of Canada's 10 Leading Men by the Weizmann Institute of Science celebrating individuals linked by their commitment to philanthropic endeavours and an understanding of the importance of scientific research and the impact it can have on the world.
