William A. Birdthistle was named director of the Securities and Exchange Commission's division of investment management, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.
He replaces Dalia Blass, who stepped down in January. Sarah ten Siethoff, the division's associate director for its rule-making office, has been serving as acting director since Ms. Blass' departure.
Mr. Birdthistle is a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law and has also served as a visiting professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School, the news release said. His research explores corporate governance, investment funds and securities regulation.
Before joining Chicago-Kent College of Law, Mr. Birdthistle was a corporate associate in the investment management practice at Ropes & Gray in Boston.
"Professor Birdthistle will bring remarkable expertise in investment funds to the SEC," Chairman Gary Gensler said in the news release.
