SEC taps Joshua White as chief economist as audit watchdog names successor

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has named Joshua White its chief economist, prompting a leadership change at the nation’s audit oversight body.

White, an academic economist and former SEC official, will begin the role in early January after serving as acting chief economist at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, where he led its Office of Economic and Risk Analysis.

The PCAOB on Dec. 18 named Erik Durbin, previously the office’s deputy chief economist, as acting chief economist and director of economic and risk analysis.

SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins praised White as a champion of rigorous cost-benefit analysis, while PCAOB Acting Chair George R. Botic said Durbin will help sustain the board’s investor-protection mission through data-driven oversight.

“Josh is a well-respected researcher and a true champion of rigorous economic analysis in regulatory policy, and his expertise in financial regulation and cryptocurrency makes him a tremendous fit to lead our efforts to ensure that high-quality economic analysis continues to underpin SEC rulemaking,” said Atkins.

White previously worked at the SEC from 2012 to 2018 and teaches finance at Vanderbilt University, while Durbin brings experience from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission and academia.