YJ Fischer to Join SEC as Director of the Office of International Affairs

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the appointment of YJ Fischer as Director of the Office of International Affairs (OIA), effective Aug. 2. Ms. Fischer previously served in various roles at the U.S. State Department during the Obama Administration, including as assistant coordinator for implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement.

"I've had the pleasure of working with YJ and know first-hand that her judgment and depth of experience in international affairs make her a tremendous asset to lead our Office of International Affairs," said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. "I am pleased to welcome YJ to the SEC and I look forward to working together."

"I also thank Kathleen Hutchinson for serving as the Acting Director for the Office of International Affairs," Chair Gensler added. "She will continue to be an indispensable adviser to YJ and to me, and I look forward to continuing our work together."

"I am honored to join the SEC to lead the Office of International Affairs under Chair Gensler's leadership,” said Ms. Fischer. "I look forward to working alongside the talented staff of the Commission to protect investors, promote efficient and transparent markets, and advance regulatory and enforcement cooperation worldwide."

At the State Department, Ms. Fischer launched a public-private partnership to repair key infrastructure in Iraq and participated in UN-led talks between the Syrian regime and opposition in Geneva. She also worked closely with European, Asian, and Middle Eastern counterparts on sanctions policy as well as with the IMF and World Bank to promote fiscally responsible economic policies in the Middle East. Most recently, Ms. Fischer served as the global head of YouTube product policy at Google, where she developed regulatory approaches to promote free expression, preserve public health and safety, and stop forced data localization around the world. She previously worked as Vice President for Government Partnerships at Bird, where she oversaw international market entry and expansion strategy.

Ms. Fischer has a B.A. from Barnard College and a J.D. from Columbia University.