SEC announces key changes in top positions

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday announced key changes in its leadership, following the eight years of service of Commissioner Ephyro Luis Amatong in the agency.

The corporate regulator said Atty. McJill Bryant Fernandez will step up as commissioner, after previously serving as Deputy Executive Secretary for General Administration under the Office of the President.

Fernandez will focus on supervising the Corporate Governance and Finance Department previously under Commissioner Kelvin Lester Lee, and the Financial Management Department previously under Commissioner Karlo Bello.

Fernandez assisted the Executive Secretary in crafting policy directives of the President through Executive Orders and other ordinances, along with the processing of special economic zone applications and the evaluations of Special Authorities for executive agreements.

He also earlier represented the Office of the President and the Executive Secretary in interagency committees and oversight bodies such as the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB), and the Cabinet Cluster on Economic Development.

“We are excited to work with Commissioner Fernandez, whose extensive experience in government service will surely help push forward the Commission in its mandate of enabling the corporate sector, deepening the capital market and protecting the investing public,” SEC Chairperson Emilio Aquino said in an emailed statement.

The SEC said Lee will take over Amatong in supervising the SEC Markets and Securities Regulation Department, while Bello will focus on the SEC Economic Research and Training Department.

Amatong finished his seven-year term in March 2021, but continued to hold the position until the appointment of Fernandez. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/RSJ, GMA News