Bill St. Louis was named head of enforcement at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the agency announced Monday.
Mr. St. Louis, who joined FINRA in 1998 and serves as an executive vice president, was most recently head of its national cause and financial crimes detection program, or NCFC. Effective Monday, he replaced Christopher J. Kelly, senior vice president and deputy head of enforcement, who served as acting head of enforcement since February when Jessica Hopper departed FINRA.
In the role, Mr. St. Louis will manage approximately 350 enforcement staff in 11 offices across the U.S. 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," Mr. Cook said in a news release. "I am confident he will bring exemplary leadership, expertise and vision to bear in his new role supporting the enforcement department's contributions to FINRA's mission of investor protection and market integrity."
FINRA, which is overseen by the Securities and Exchange Commission, regulates brokerage firms conducting business with the public in the U.S. In 2022, its enforcement division imposed $54.5 million in fines, according to data on FINRA's website.
