SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White named Andrew J. Ceresney co-acting director of the agency's enforcement division Monday.
Mr. Ceresney, a former colleague of Ms. White's at both law firm Deveboise & Plimpton and the U.S. attorney's office in New York, joins George Canellos, who has served as acting division director since February.
Before joining Debevoise & Plimpton as a partner in 2003, Mr. Ceresney was deputy chief appellate attorney for the U.S. attorney's office and a member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. At Debevoise, he represented J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in connection with federal and state investigations of mortgage servicing and foreclosure practices, and a $25 billion settlement.
Mr. Canellos, also a former federal prosecutor in New York, was director of the New York regional office of the Securities and Exchange Commission until June 2012.
An SEC spokeswoman who declined to be identified could not recall a previous instance when the enforcement director's job was held by more than one person.
