JPMorgan is hiring as part of its ambitious $1.5 trillion US “resiliency” plan, CEO Jamie Dimon announced on Monday.The bank is looking for financial specialists in defence, energy, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing to help build an investment team. This team will deploy $10 billion in capital before the bank involves its bankers.“If you think you’re the right person, just give us a call,” Dimon told reporters, inviting interested professionals to join the initiative. He added that the bank wants to hire a “top-notch investment team” to invest the $10 billion in companies that can give the US an edge over its competitors.“We’re very focused on people,” the CEO said, as quoted by Business Insider.The plan, called the security and resiliency Initiative, aims to strengthen US security, innovation, and infrastructure using private sector funding rather than relying on government agencies. To achieve this, JPMorgan will prioritise hiring experts in four key areas: defence and aerospace, frontier technologies like AI and quantum computing, energy independence, and advanced manufacturing and supply chains.The hirings are a part of a wider initiative worth $1.5 trillion. As part of the 10-year plan, the bank will invest up to $10 billion in companies across defence, energy, manufacturing, and emerging technologies.To fulfil the mission requirements, the bank is set to hire more experts. These include bankers, investment professionals and others. An external advisory council, including public- and private-sector leaders, will provide guidance. Mary Erdoes, CEO of asset and wealth management, and Doug Petno, Co-CEO of commercial and investment banking, will oversee the programme. Both are also considered potential successors to Dimon.JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said the initiative is entirely a bank-led effort and not driven by the Trump administration. “This is a JPMorgan initiative…100% commercial,” he told journalists, responding to repeated questions about government involvement, as quoted by Reuters.Dimon noted that the US has become too reliant on foreign sources of critical minerals and essential products, which are vital for national security.“America needs more speed and investment,” he added, calling for policy reforms to tackle regulatory delays and workforce challenges.While the programme is commercial, JPMorgan is working closely with the US government. The bank helped structure a deal with rare earths mining firm MP Materials and has held numerous calls and visits to Washington to explore similar opportunities. Andrew Castaldo, co-head of mid-cap mergers and acquisitions, said the bank has had “no less than 100 calls with clients” to discuss the MP transaction and other sectors.Four key areas of investmentThe bank’s strategy focuses on four main sectors: supply chain and manufacturing, defence and aerospace, energy independence, and frontier technologies. Within these areas, 27 sub-sectors have been identified, including shipbuilding, nuclear energy, nanomaterials, and secure communications. Both middle-market companies and large corporations will be eligible for investment.

Doug Lebda, the 55-year-old founder and CEO of LendingTree, has died in a tragic all-terrain vehicle accident at his family’s farm in North Carolina. The online lending platform confirmed his death on Sunday and said the company was mourning the sudden loss of its leader.“Doug was a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the lives of millions of consumers,” the board of directors said in a statement. “His passion will continue to inspire us as we move forward together.”Following his death, the company has appointed Scott Peyree, its chief operating officer and president, as CEO with immediate effect. Steve Ozonian, who serves as lead independent director, will take over Lebda’s position as chairman of the board.News of his passing hit the markets, with LendingTree’s shares falling more than 4% in afternoon trading on Monday, AP reported.Lebda launched LendingTree in 1996 after struggling to get his first mortgage, aiming to make loan shopping easier for consumers. The platform went national two years later and became a public company in 2000. It was later bought by IAC/InterActiveCorp before becoming independent again in 2008. Over the years, LendingTree expanded its services to help users compare options for mortgages, credit cards, insurance and more, and also acquired brands like CompareCards and Value Penguin.Beyond his work at LendingTree, Lebda co-founded Tykoon in 2010, a financial platform designed for children and families. Earlier in his career, he worked with PriceWaterhouseCoopers as an auditor and consultant, according to AP.“All of my ideas come from my own experiences and problems,” he told The Wall Street Journal in an interview in 2012.He is survived by his wife, Megan, and their three daughters: Rachel, Abby and Sophia. In her statement, Megan described him as “an amazing man with a heart so big it seemed to have room for everyone he met.”“Our hearts are broken, but we are also deeply grateful for the love and support that has poured in from across the world,” she said.