Michael Piwowar

Former Acting Chairman and Commissioner at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Michael Piwowar
  • SEC Commissioner from 2013 through 2018 who worked on both Dodd-Frank and the JOBS Act
  • Served as a senior economic advisor for both President Bush and Obama's White Houses in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008
  • Helps companies navigate shifting global markets with insight into Washington, DC's regulation, emerging trends, and investment opportunities

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Dr. Michael S. Piwowar served as a Commissioner at the US Securities and Exchange Commission from August 15, 2013 to July 6, 2018.

Dr. Piwowar was first appointed to the SEC by President Barack Obama and was designated Acting Chairman of the Commission by President Donald Trump from January 23, 2017 to May 4, 2017. Previously, Dr. Piwowar was the Republican chief economist for the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs under US Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Richard Shelby (R-AL). He was the lead Republican economist on the four SEC-related titles of the Dodd-Frank Act and the JOBS Act. Dr. Piwowar also worked on a number of important SEC-related oversight issues under the jurisdiction of the Committee, such as securities, over-the-counter derivatives, investor protection, market structure, and capital formation.

In his current role, Dr. Piwowar is the executive vice president of MI Finance at the Milken institute, having previously served as executive director of the institute’s Center for Financial Markets. He is exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau.

During the financial crisis and its immediate aftermath, Dr. Piwowar served in a one-year fixed-term position at the White House as a senior economist at the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations. While at the CEA, Dr. Piwowar also served as a staff economist for the Financial Regulatory Reform Working Group of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Before joining the White House, Dr. Piwowar worked as a Principal at the Securities Litigation and Consulting Group (SLCG). At SLCG, he provided economic consulting to law firms involved in complex securities litigation and technical assistance on market structure, regulatory policy, and risk management issues to domestic and international securities regulators and market participants. He is currently the executive director of the Milken Institute Center for Financial Markets.

Dr. Piwowar’s first tenure at the SEC was in the Office of Economic Analysis (now called the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis) as a visiting academic scholar on leave from Iowa State University and as a senior financial economist. In those roles, he provided economic analyses and other technical support to the Commission and other SEC divisions and offices on a wide range of rulemaking, compliance, and enforcement matters.

Dr. Piwowar was an assistant professor of finance at Iowa State University where he focused his research on market microstructure and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in corporate finance and investments. He published a number of articles in leading academic publications and received several teaching and research awards.

Michael Piwowar received a BA in Foreign Service and International Politics from the Pennsylvania State University, an MBA. from Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. in Finance from the Pennsylvania State University.

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Speaker Video

Michael Piwowar: SEC & The Future of Finance

Michael Piwowar: Trust In The Financial Market

Where The American Economy Is Heading.
Peer into the future of the American economy as Dr. Michael Piwowar breaks down the major opportunities and potential pitfalls businesses will soon face. Weighing in on the likelihood of everything from confirmations to regulations and beyond, he helps businesses understand the possible shifts coming to markets and to their industries. Offering a look at what’s working and what’s not, and how he sees trends and policy evolving, Piwowar helps businesses rethink their strategies and make smarter tactical decisions.

The Right Type & Amount Of Regulation.
Having worked in the White House during the financial crisis, Dr. Michael Piwowar is in a unique position to speak to the impact policy and regulation has on the domestic and global economy. Dr. Piwowar answers questions like, “What is the right type and amount of regulation?” and “What are indicators currently telling us about the way regulatory policy will unfold and the impact these regulations will have on economic interests?” Able to expertly discuss regulation both philosophically and practically, Piwowar provides and provokes a dynamic discussion on the role regulation can and should play in business.

The Future Of Fintech & RegTech.
The use of financial technology in the financial services industry is increasing at a rapid pace. The Administration, Congress, and financial regulators are working hard to keep up with these trends. As a former SEC Commissioner, Dr. Michael Piwowar provides an insider’s view of how policymakers are thinking about potential changes to laws and regulations in Fintech. Dr. Piwowar is uniquely qualified to discuss a broad range of Financial technology (fintech) topics, including blockchain (digital ledger technology), cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings (ICOs), digital financial planning (robo-advisers), big data, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and the use of fintech by regulators and regulated entities for compliance and enforcement of existing regulations (RegTech).

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