The ACG will host discussion and reception in Greenwich, CT on “The Transatlantic Relationship in an Era of Economic and Geopolitical Transformation” with Paul S. Atkins, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (1993 ACG Young Leader and Former Vice Chairman), moderated by Dan Gallagher, Chief Legal, Compliance and Corporate Affairs Officer of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (2008 ACG Young Leader).
Former ACG Vice Chair Paul S. Atkins was sworn in as Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) just under a year ago. He wasted no time and hit the ground running, announcing that it is a “new day” at the SEC and advocating for the reinforcement of investor confidence and balanced regulatory change. He has emphasized the importance of strategic collaboration with international partners that share a commitment to innovation and regulatory clarity. As Chairman, he noted that, by working together, the United States and Europe can strengthen their respective domestic economies while reinforcing the transatlantic partnership. He has been clear that cooperation between the SEC and the European securities regulators remains strong, noting in particular the areas of enforcement and supervision of registrants. He has also highlighted the need for continued collaboration on several cross-border regulatory issues.
Chairman Atkins is a longtime advocate for regulation that is smart, effective, and appropriately tailored within the confines of statutory authority. His regulatory priorities include: (1) “Project Crypto”—advancing digital asset regulation through the establishment of clear “rules of the road” for the issuance, custody, and trading of crypto assets via formal rulemaking and guidance; (2) enhancing capital formation by making public offerings more attractive through the simplification and modernization of capital-raising pathways, as well as potential rule amendments to expand investor access to historically private investments and offerings, including possible updates to the accredited investor standard; (3) rationalizing disclosure practices by prioritizing material disclosures; and (4) addressing ESG-related disclosures and modernizing the shareholder proposal process.
Paul S. Atkins was sworn into office as the 34th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 21, 2025, after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2025, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 9, 2025.
Prior to returning to the SEC, Chairman Atkins was Chief Executive of Patomak Global Partners, a company he founded in 2009. He helped lead efforts to develop best practices for the digital asset sector. He also served as an independent Director and non-executive Chairman of the board of BATS Global Markets, Inc. from 2012 to 2015.
Chairman Atkins was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as a Commissioner of the SEC from 2002 to 2008. During his tenure, he advocated for transparency, consistency, and the use of cost-benefit analysis at the agency. Chairman Atkins also represented the SEC at meetings of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets and the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council. From 2009 to 2010, he was appointed a member of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
Before serving as an SEC Commissioner, Chairman Atkins was a consultant on securities and investment management industry matters, especially regarding issues of strategy, regulatory compliance, risk management, new product development, and organizational control. From 1990 to 1994, he served on the staff of two chairmen of the SEC – Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt – ultimately as Chief of Staff and Counselor, respectively. He received the SEC’s 1992 Law and Policy Award for work regarding corporate governance matters.
Chairman Atkins began his career as a lawyer in New York, focusing on a wide range of corporate transactions for U.S. and foreign clients, including public and private securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions. He was resident for 2½ years in his firm’s Paris office and admitted as conseil juridique in France.
A member of the New York and Florida bars, Chairman Atkins received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1983 and was Senior Student Writing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He received his A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, from Wofford College in 1980. He was an American Council on Germany Young Leader in 1993 and served on the Board. In 2020, he was elected Vice Chair of the ACG. Originally from Lillington, North Carolina, Chairman Atkins grew up in Tampa, Florida. He and his wife Sarah have three sons.
Dan Gallagher (Moderator) is the Chief Legal, Compliance and Corporate Affairs Officer of Robinhood Markets, Inc. Before joining Robinhood, he was Partner and Deputy Chair of the Securities Department at international law firm WilmerHale where he advised corporate boards and management on the full range of legal and strategic issues, and counseled financial services and accounting firms in investigations, regulatory proceedings and policy matters.
Mr. Gallagher has an extensive background in financial markets and regulatory matters, including serving as a Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from 2011 to 2015. He held several other positions on the SEC staff prior to being appointed commissioner, including deputy director and co-acting director of the division of trading and markets. Dan also previously served as the Chief Legal Officer at Mylan N.V., a leading global pharmaceutical company, and as the president of a financial services consulting firm.
Mr. Gallagher is a fellow in the Columbia Law School’s Program in the Law and Economics of Capital Markets and serves on several advisory boards, including the New Civil Liberties Alliance and the Institute for Law and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he serves on the Board of Visitors at Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. He was formerly a non-executive director of the Irish Stock Exchange and served on the board of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). M. Gallagher holds a J.D. from Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, and a B.A. from Georgetown University. He was an ACG Young Leader in 2008.