Erik Gerding has been named director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's division of corporation finance, the agency announced Friday.
Mr. Gerding, currently the division's deputy director, will assume the role on Feb.3. Renee Jones, who has served as the division's director since June 2021, will return to her faculty position at Boston College Law School, the SEC said. Ms. Jones was previously a law professor and associate dean for academic affairs at the law school.
"The SEC will continue to benefit from Erik's experience and expertise, qualities that defined his service as deputy director," SEC Chairman Gary Gensler said in a news release. "I am confident that, under his leadership, the division's talented staff will continue to advance its important work on behalf of investors, issuers, and markets."
Mr. Gerding joined the SEC in October 2021 and leads the division's work on legal and regulatory policy. He previously taught as a law professor at the University of Colorado Law School, where he focused in the areas of securities law, corporate law and financial regulation, according to the SEC.
Under Ms. Jones' leadership, the division's work resulted in the proposal of 12 rules and the adoption of nine others, covering topics such as the disclosure of climate-related risks and cybersecurity risks, special purpose acquisition companies, executive compensation and insider trading.
"Renee has led the division of corporation finance during a time when we have proposed — and in numerous cases adopted — critical reforms to benefit investors," Mr. Gensler said. "I am grateful for her counsel, judgment and deep understanding of the capital markets. Thanks to Renee's leadership, we have enhanced investors' access to the full, fair, and truthful information as required by our securities laws to make informed investment decisions."
