Nasdaq OMX, the transatlantic exchange group formed a year ago through a $3.7bn (€2.9bn) merger, has announced that its chief financial officer will leave the group at the end of the year, as it reported a 60% drop in fourth quarter profit driven by asset writedowns and currency losses.

David Warren, Nasdaq's chief financial officer of six years, will step down after the exchange's second quarter results in July, chief executive Bob Greifeld told analysts today. Warren will be replaced by Adena Friedman, a 15-year veteran of the exchange who heads corporate strategy and global data products.