Robert W. Cook was named president and CEO of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, effective sometime in the second half of 2016.
Mr. Cook will succeed Richard G. Ketchum as CEO. Mr. Ketchum in October announced he would retire sometime during the second half of this year.
The president’s position has been vacant for some time, said Nancy Condon, FINRA spokeswoman.
Mr. Cook is a partner at the law firm of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. Prior to joining the firm in 2013, he was director of the division of trading and markets at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mr. Ketchum also is chairman of FINRA, the independent regulator for all U.S. securities firms. The agency will name a new chairman in the coming months, according to a news release.
