James Moloney Named Director of Division of Corporation Finance

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that James J. Moloney, a longtime and highly respected legal counsel to public companies worldwide on corporate transactions and corporate governance issues, has been named Director of the agency's Division of Corporation Finance, effective next month.

Cicely LaMothe, who has served as Acting Director, will return to her role as a Deputy Director of the Division.

Mr. Moloney previously served at the SEC for six years prior to joining Gibson Dunn & Cutcher, where he has worked the past 25 years, ascending from corporate associate to equity partner. He has served as a longstanding co-chair of the firm's securities regulation and corporate governance practice. He has advised a wide base of clients on corporate governance matters, disclosure rules, mergers & acquisitions, tender offers, proxy contests, and going-private transactions among other areas.

During his tenure at the SEC from 1994 to 2000, Mr. Moloney was an attorney-advisor and later a special counsel in the Office of Mergers & Acquisitions in the Division of Corporation Finance. Notably, Mr. Moloney was the primary author of the proposing and adopting releases for Regulation M-A, a comprehensive set of rules governing mergers & acquisitions, tender offers and proxy solicitations.

"Jim is a seasoned professional who understands all aspects of corporate governance and disclosure. He brings decades of experience to our regulatory efforts with an eye toward supporting innovation and facilitating capital formation," said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. "I am eager to get to work with him, Cicely, and others in the Division of Corporation Finance to modernize and improve our existing rules and alleviate disclosure burdens. I appreciate Cicely's leadership in the Division and her dedicated service to our agency and our markets."

Mr. Moloney said, "I am both excited and grateful for this opportunity to work with Chairman Atkins to implement a clear regulatory framework for companies to disclose valuable information to investors. I'm honored the Commissioners have placed their trust in me at such a critical time for our markets. There is much to be done, and I am looking forward to rejoining my colleagues in the Division of Corporation Finance in tailoring smart, practical, and effective regulations that will allow companies to thrive and investors to benefit."

Mr. Moloney received his LL.M. degree in securities regulation with distinction from the Georgetown University Law Center. He received his J.D. degree cum laude from Pepperdine University, where he was an editor of The Pepperdine Law Review. He received his B.S. degree in business administration from Boston University.