Laura S. Unger, Former Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Joins Promontory Financial Group

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Promontory Financial Group, the premier global consulting firm for financial services companies, has named Laura S. Unger, former Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as Special Adviser.

At Promontory, Ms. Unger will advise clients on securities matters, including SEC rules and regulations, legislative developments, and corporate governance, and counsel them on ways to comply with and adapt to the rapidly changing regulatory landscape.

“Laura Unger is a tremendous talent who is highly regarded for her insight into SEC regulatory matters and financial services legislative matters. She is also keenly interested in technology’s influence on the financial markets,” said Eugene A. Ludwig, Promontory Financial Group’s Founder and CEO. “Her experience and extensive knowledge strengthens our ability to help clients navigate the latest SEC rules and regulations, and will assist in preparing clients to capitalize on rapid changes in technology.”

Ms. Unger was named a Commissioner of the SEC in November 1997 and served until February 2002. She was named Acting Chairman of the agency from February 2001 to August 2001. As Acting Chairman, Ms. Unger focused on major issues affecting the agency including conflicts of interest among stock analyst; Regulation Fair Disclosure and its impact on information flow, global regulation, Commission staff pay parity, and unregulated internet portals.

“I look forward to working with Promontory’s elite team of financial services experts to help clients understand and operate in this challenging regulatory and legislative environment,” Ms. Unger said. “The team’s multi-disciplined approach will enable us to provide a broad range of services to the financial industry.”

As Commissioner, Ms. Unger made strides focusing on the impact of technology on the securities industry. She investigated how the SEC could optimize the benefits of technology for the capital markets investors, and in 1999 drafted a report entitled: “Online Brokerage: Keeping Apace of Cyberspace.” For her work, Ms. Unger was named “Technology Person of the Year” in 1999.

While a Commissioner, Ms. Unger, who early in her career was an attorney in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, spearheaded a full-scale review of the unit, resulting in critical changes to the division both structurally and substantively.

After resigning her Commissioner seat, Ms. Unger joined CNBC as a regulatory expert providing televised commentary and analysis on business, financial and market related issues. Ms. Unger continues to provide on the air commentary about regulatory and enforcement matters for CNBC and other financial news programs. She has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, The News with Brian Williams, Wall Street Week, Lou Dobbs’ and Moneyline. She is a regular commentator for PBS’s Nightly Business Report.

From May 2003 to November 2009, Ms. Unger served as the Independent Consultant to JP Morgan Chase for the Global Analyst Conflict Settlement. Prior to joining the SEC, Ms. Unger was securities counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. Before she began working on Capitol Hill, Ms. Unger was an attorney with the SEC’s Enforcement Division. She received a B.A. in Rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley in 1983, and a J.D. from New York Law School in 1987.

In addition to her advisory role at Promontory, Ms. Unger serves as a director on four public company boards; Ambac Financial Group, Inc., CA (formerly Computer Associates), CIT Group and IQ Funds.

Promontory Financial Group, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the premier global consulting firm for financial services companies. Promontory has offices in New York, San Francisco, and Atlanta, and affiliate offices in London, Milan, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto and Tokyo. Mr. Ludwig, former U.S. Comptroller of the Currency, founded Promontory in 2001. Visit us on the web at www.promontory.com .

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