When I was a regulator, we would meet each week to discuss the cases being considered for Enforcement referrals. It was surprising how often the same types of cases would come before us. These were not always headline grabbing, but they were avoidable items that came up over and over again. I thought it might… READ MORE
In the past few weeks, the industry has been given additional guidance on how CAT reporting will be monitored by the regulatory body and the SROs. We were introduced to a new acronym, CMRWG, which is the Cross-Market Regulation Working Group. The CMRWG was recently formed to reduce unnecessary duplication in enforcement efforts. SROs have… READ MORE
The pandemic has changed how firms operate as offices close and staff work from home. Regulators have also had to change their examination practices to accommodate these changes. In this episode, Oyster Managing Director Ed Wegener, a former SVP and Midwest Regional Director of FINRA, shares his insider views on: the changes in the regulator’s… READ MORE
Financial Services consulting firm expands Governance, Risk and Compliance team Oyster Consulting welcomes Ed Wegener to the firm as a Managing Director with the Governance, Risk and Compliance team. Ed brings a deep knowledge of compliance, risk management and supervisory controls requirements and best practices for broker-dealers and alternative trading systems. His vast experience as… READ MORE
FINRA recently released a regulatory notice to help firms understand how their peers are responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. In this Regulatory Notice (Notice), the FINRA staff shared certain observations based on discussions with member firms about steps taken to transition personnel to a remote work environment. The observations were not offered as recommended practices… READ MORE
In case you’re wondering what the regulators will be focusing on this year, they let you know when they publish their annual Exam Priorities Letters. This week’s episode of Oyster Stew is Part 1 in a series discussing the SEC and FINRA 2020 Exam Priorities Letters. Oyster Consulting CEO Buddy Doyle, Director Evan Rosser and… READ MORE
On January 9, 2020, FINRA released its 2020 Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter. While many of the priorities are continuations from previous years and all areas are important, the recent Letter pointed to some new or refined focus areas: Sales Practices Regulation Best Interest: There are still many firms that have not started the… READ MORE
