SEC's New Head of Trading

Traders Magazine, December 2009

Nina Mehta

The Securities and Exchange Commission named Robert W. Cook, a partner at law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, as the new director of the Division of Trading and Markets.

Cook, a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Cleary Gottlieb, has focused in recent years on over-the-counter derivatives transactions, new financial products, securities trading and compliance issues.

"Robert has an incredible grasp of the issues confronting the division and a deep understanding of securities markets," SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro said.

Among other topics, the Division of Trading and Markets is currently focused on hot-button issues related to short selling, high-frequency trading, dark pools, flash orders and co-location. The SEC is also under the gun from Senators Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Ted Kaufman, D-Del., both of whom have criticized the Commission for what they describe as weak oversight of the securities markets. The senators have agitated for new regulations and a broad review of market structure issues.

Cook, who is 44, joined Cleary Gottlieb in 1992. He received a law degree from Harvard Law School that same year, and an M.S. in industrial relations and personnel management from the London School of Economics in 1989. He was an undergraduate at Harvard University.

 

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