The U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) named long-time employee Bill St. Louis as its new head of enforcement.
St. Louis joined FINRA in 1998 and has had various roles in the enforcement department, most recently as executive vice-president and head of its National Cause and Financial Crimes Detection Program (NCFC), which includes investigative units targeting money laundering and fraud, cybersecurity, high-risk reps and vulnerable adults and seniors.
St. Louis also served as director of FINRA’s New York office from 2014 to 2019 and was senior vice-president and regional director of its Northeast region from 2019 to 2020.
He has a JD from New York University Law School and an undergraduate degree from Baruch College.
“I look forward to strengthening FINRA’s regulatory operations, ensuring integrated oversight and increasing safety in the market as we advance our important work through the regulatory opportunities and challenges ahead,” St. Louis said in a release.
He takes on the new position immediately.
Since January, FINRA had been operating with an acting head of enforcement after the previous chief, Jessica Hopper, left the SRO.
As head of enforcement, St. Louis leads approximately 350 enforcement staffers and will report directly to FINRA CEO Robert Cook.
“Bill’s broad and deep experience at FINRA, including his previous senior roles in enforcement and member supervision, and his most recent position as head of the NCFC, will serve him well as head of enforcement,” Cook said.