The SEC’s New Co-Chief of Asset Management Enforcement

Insider Anthony Kelly replaces Julie Riewe, who left to become a partner at regulatory defense law firm Debevoise & Plimpton.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has promoted Anthony Kelly to co-chief of asset management enforcement, the regulator announced Thursday.

Kelly joins Marshall Sprung as heads of the unit, which focuses on misconduct by investment advisers, investment companies, and private funds. He succeeds Julie Riewe, who departed last month after a decade with the SEC to become a partner at regulatory defense law firm Debevoise & Plimpton.

Kelly joined the SEC in 2000 as a securities compliance examiner in the compliance inspection office’s broker-dealer group. He had investigated or supervised enforcement cases that addressed a range of misconduct across the asset management industry, including securing a $39 million settlement from Blackstone for fee disclosure failings.

“Anthony’s wide-ranging experience in enforcement and examinations, along with his exceptional judgment and dogged investigative skills, will be tremendous assets in rooting out fraud in the asset management industry,” said Andrew Ceresney, director of the SEC’s enforcement division.

Ceresney added that he was confident Kelly and Sprung will bring “significant actions” against advisers and firms that engage in unlawful conduct.

Kelly joined the enforcement division after graduating from Georgetown University Law Center in 2004 and was promoted to assistant director in the asset management unit in August 2012.

“I am truly honored for this opportunity to lead the unit with Marshall, and I look forward to working with our talented and dedicated colleagues throughout the country as we build on the many successes the unit has achieved in protecting investors across the asset management industry,” Kelly said.

Related: SEC Loses Top Private Equity Investigator & SEC Head Talks Hedge Fund, Private Equity Regulation

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