The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Matthew S. Jacques has been named the new chief accountant in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.

Mr. Jacques, who for six years served as a senior enforcement accountant in the SEC’s Boston Regional Office, rejoins the SEC enforcement staff from AlixPartners, where he has been a managing director since 2013.  He has led teams conducting complex forensic investigations in high-profile accounting, securities, anti-corruption and other financial matters.  He has nearly two decades of experience as a public accountant, regulator, expert witness and forensic accountant.  He is a certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner.

Mr. Jacques will start working at the SEC in October.

“Financial statement and accounting fraud are high enforcement priorities for the SEC, and accounting expertise is critical to unraveling this kind of wrongdoing,” said Stephanie Avakian, Co-Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.  “We are excited to have Matt rejoin the SEC and contribute to a strong and effective issuer reporting and disclosure enforcement program.”

“I’m pleased that Matt has agreed to lead our accounting staff,” said Steven Peikin, Co-Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.  “Investors will benefit from Matt’s sound judgment and dedication to pursuing financial statement and accounting fraud.”

Mr. Jacques added, “I deeply appreciate the opportunity to rejoin the SEC’s Enforcement Division.  I am excited to team with the incredibly talented professionals across the agency as we work together to further the SEC’s mission.”

Prior to working at the SEC from 2007 to 2013, Mr. Jacques was a forensic accountant at Ernst & Young, where he was engaged by counsel to provide accounting expertise in investigations and litigation.  He began his career in public accounting as an auditor at Arthur Andersen.