The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Kelly L. Gibson has been named the Associate Regional Director for Enforcement in the SEC’s Philadelphia Office. Ms. Gibson succeeds G. Jeffrey Boujoukos, who became Regional Director of the SEC’s Philadelphia office in January.
Ms. Gibson joined the SEC as a staff attorney in the Enforcement Division in 2008. When the Division was reorganized in 2010, she joined the Market Abuse Unit. In 2013, she was promoted to Assistant Regional Director.
Ms. Gibson has investigated or supervised a number of significant matters within the Enforcement Division, including those that resulted in the SEC’s charges against:
- Dozens of defendants for taking part in an international scheme to profit from stolen nonpublic information about corporate earnings announcements;
- A Pakistani trader, a Bulgarian trader, and a Virginia-based mechanical engineer who each sought to manipulate stocks through false regulatory filings;
- An investment advisory firm that failed to property prepare clients for additional transaction costs beyond “wrap fees” paid to cover the cost of several bundled services;
- BP p.l.c. for fraudulent misrepresentations and omissions in its SEC filings relating to the amount of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent leak; and
- An investment banker and his father who engaged in a $1.1 million serial insider trading scheme.
Kelly is known for her tenacious and unwavering commitment to the SEC’s mission,” said Stephanie Avakian, Co-Director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division. “She is highly respected by her peers for her insight and intelligence and will be a fantastic addition to our senior leadership team in Philadelphia.
Mr. Boujoukos added:
Kelly has an outstanding track record of investigating and supervising cutting-edge, high impact matters. She brings strong judgment and analytical skill to the job and we are excited to have her leading Philadelphia’s talented and dedicated enforcement staff.
Ms. Gibson said:
I am grateful for this opportunity, and I am looking forward to leading the enforcement team in Philadelphia as we continue to pursue wrongdoers, including those committing cybercrimes that impact our markets, and further our commitment to protect retail investors from fee abuses and other harms.
Before joining the SEC staff in 2008, Ms. Gibson worked as a litigation associate for the law firm of Ballard Spahr, LLP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned her law degree with honors from Villanova University School of Law and her bachelor of arts degree with high honors from Rowan University. Ms. Gibson received the SEC’s Analytical Methods award in 2016.