SEC Bulks Up New Risk Division

The Securities and Exchange Commission continues to add staff to its newly established Division of Risk, Strategy, and Financial Innovation, with Gregg Berman recently being named a senior policy advisor in the new division.

Berman comes to the SEC from RiskMetrics Group, a company that focuses on risk management, corporate governance, and financial research and analysis. According to the SEC, Berman held several senior positions during his 11-year tenure at RiskMetrics Group, most recently serving as the head of the global risk business. He also held positions in strategic development, and earlier served as the company’s head of market risk. Berman will start his new position the week of September 28.

University of Texas School of Law Professor Henry Hu was named director of the new division in mid-September. The new SEC division combines the Office of Economic Analysis, the Office of Risk Assessment, and other functions that are meant to provide the Commission with sophisticated analysis that integrates economic, financial, and legal disciplines. The SEC says that the division’s responsibilities cover three broad areas: risk and economic analysis; strategic research; and financial innovation. “This new division will enhance our capabilities and help identify developing risks and trends in the financial markets,” said SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro, in a statement announcing the new division.