Elisse Walter Steps Out of Schapiro Shadow Into SEC Chairmanship

Elisse Walter, who has spent the past four years as Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro’s closest confidant and behind-the-scenes adviser, will soon step into the spotlight that she has mostly shunned in trying to help her close friend succeed. Designated to become SEC chief by President Barack Obama when Schapiro leaves in December, Walter is little known outside of Washington where she has spent most of her career as a regulator. For the short term, at least, she’s likely to keep Schapiro’s priorities intact, securities lawyers and ex-agency officials said, citing her record of almost always voting alongside Schapiro on new rules and enforcement cases.
“She’s sincere and dedicated, and the administration knows where she stands,” said Paul Atkins, a former Republican commissioner who is now chief executive of Patomak Global Partners LLC, a consulting firm in Washington.
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