The U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced on Thursday that its head of enforcement, Brad Bennett, is planning to leave the investment industry’s self-regulatory organization (SRO) early next year to return to private practice,

Bennett served as FINRA’s chief of enforcement for almost six years and its deputy head of enforcement, Susan Schroeder, has been named the acting head for the time being. FINRA will undertake a search for a replacement and will consider both internal and external candidates.

“As a regulator, Brad’s first priority has always been to protect investors and the markets, and this is evident by the quality of cases brought under his leadership, many of which included meaningful restitution to harmed customers,” says Susan Axelrod, executive vice president and head of regulatory operations at FINRA, in a statement.

FINRA notes that with Bennett at the helm of enforcement, the SRO brought forward several cases seeking restitution for clients, including restitution for investors who did not receive applicable discounts, and in connection with sales of complex products.