Tom Atkinson is the new dir-ector of enforcement with the Ontario Securities Commission in Toronto, replacing Michael Watson, who joined the RCMP’s integrated market enforcement team in September 2008.

Atkinson joins the OSC on Feb. 9, after an extensive career in securities regulation, enforcement and litigation. He was the founding president and CEO of Market Regulation Services Inc., which has since merged with the Investment Dealers Association of Canada to form the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. While at RS, he focused on making the organization’s culture results-driven. He left RS in August 2007 and was replaced by Maureen Jensen.

Prior to joining RS, Atkinson held progressively senior positions at the Toronto Stock Exchange, including vice president of regulation services, followed by the positions of director, chief counsel and enforcement counsel of the investigations and enforcement division.

The OSC role requires an individual who is an experienced litigator and strategic thinker and has a demonstrated record of effecting change — all qualities that Atkinson brings to the table, the OSC says.

Ian Russell, president and CEO of the Toronto-based Investment Industry Association of Canada, was pleased with the news of Atkinson’s appointment: “The experience he had at RS gave him a great deal of experience in our industry, in terms of the regulatory issues and the enforcement compliance issues, which are very important for the head of enforcement for the OSC.” IE