Grewal said that he intends to “cover the waterfront” by bringing appropriate cases and doing so with efficiency. Grewal intends to approach enforcement with a “sense of urgency.” When it comes to the SEC’s broad mission of protecting public investors, maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation, Mr. To that end, he identified three tools to help him achieve that goal: (1) robust enforcement (2) robust penalties and (3) robust compliance. Grewal echoed earlier public remarks and said that “restoring public trust” in financial markets is his overarching goal. Leading a staff of 8,000 in the New Jersey Attorney General’s office taught him to manage resources to match his goals, he said, noting that “if you make everything a priority, then nothing is a priority.” He stated that he plans to adopt the same approach to SEC enforcement, streamlining processes and matching resources to meet priorities. That said, he added that he plans to approach SEC enforcement with a “prosecutor’s mindset” in pursuing facts and perceived violations of law.
Whether prosecuting crimes or enforcing rules in civil litigation, the goal is to administer justice and uphold the rule of law, he said. He dismissed concerns that some have expressed about a former prosecutor leading an agency that has only civil and regulatory authority. Grewal joined the SEC this year after a distinguished career as a state and federal prosecutor in New York and New Jersey. Grewal spoke about his prosecutorial background and preparedness to lead the agency’s Division of Enforcement, as well as his top priorities.
Grewal, the SEC’s new enforcement director. Bar hosted a one-hour conversation with Gurbir S.