The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has named Robert L. D. Colby as its new chief legal officer. Colby is currently a partner at Davis Polk & Wardwell and will assume his new role with FINRA on June 18.
"Bob is a perfect match for this key position and an excellent addition to our management team," Richard G. Ketchum, chairman and CEO of FINRA, said in a statement. "Bob's unparalleled expertise in both regulatory and corporate law makes him uniquely suited to be FINRA's first Chief Legal Officer."
Colby will oversee the corporate and regulatory functions of the Office of the General Counsel. He also will lead the Regulatory Policy Group.
At Davis Polk, Colby focuses his practice on complex regulatory and compliance matters. Before joining the firm, he spent 28 years in various positions with the Securities and Exchange Commission, most recently as Deputy Director of the Division of Trading and Markets.
FINRA’s current GC, Grant Callery, announced that he will retire in October, while the GC for Regulation, Marc Menchel, said he will be leaving on June 1 to go into private practice.
