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The corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), has appointed the current boss of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Scott Gregson, as its new CEO after an extended search following the departure of Warren Day in June last year.
The appointment, set to take effect on 17 March, is the next step in the biggest shake-up for the ASIC in 15 years and follows a series of executive appointments over the past year as well as three new commissioners in 2023.
Gregson will replace interim Greg Yanco, who last year announced plans to retire from the corporate regulator in mid-2025.
Gregson has been CEO, or chief operating officer as the title was originally known, at the ACCC since August 2020 after an extensive career with the agency, joining in 1996 as an investigator and spending much of his career in the enforcement division.
“This is a great loss for the ACCC and a great gain for ASIC,” says ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb.
“Scott Gregson has made an enormous contribution in his nearly 30 years at the ACCC, and he will be sincerely missed.
“Scott carried his enforcement experience in the agency throughout his career here, as a foundation of the strength of the ACCC. He has been an influential leader across a number of roles.”
Cass-Gottlieb points out that Gregson’s depth of experience and relationships in the ACCC “greatly assisted” her when she joined the agency in 2022.
“We share a vision not only about working towards critical outcomes for consumers, small businesses and competition but also about how we should achieve this,” she says.
ASIC chair Joe Longo says Gregson’s credentials were critical in his selection for the role after ASIC fielded candidates from Australia and abroad to fill the position.
“Scott is an impressive leader and will bring extensive experience to this important role at ASIC,” says Longo.
“His commitment to achieving regulatory outcomes that benefit all Australians makes him a strong addition to support ASIC’s commission and head the agency’s executive leadership team.
“As ASIC enters the next phase of the program of transformation we began three years ago, Scott’s experience supporting digital and technology delivery, and his pedigree in enforcement and compliance, will continue to ensure ASIC is well placed to meet future challenges.”
Gregson, who has worked under four chairs in his time at the ACCC, says he is looking forward to “stretching himself” and “contributing to the important work at ASIC”.
“The momentum ASIC is showing in its work and impact is very appealing for me,” says Gregson.
“In an increasingly complex world with heightened cost-of-living pressures, the work of ASIC is more important than ever and I look forward to taking the step up and helping ASIC meet the challenges ahead.”
Yanco has been interim CEO of ASIC since Day left the regulator to join the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions as executive director last year.
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