Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) chairman Gary Gensler today announced the appointment of David Meister as director of Enforcement. Mr. Meister, a former federal criminal prosecutor, comes to the CFTC with nearly 25 years of experience in investigations, litigation and trials involving fraud and other complex schemes relating to United States financial markets. Vincent McGonagle, who has served as Acting Director of Enforcement since October 1, 2010, will continue in that capacity until Mr. Meister comes on board. Mr. McGonagle succeeded Acting Director Stephen Obie after he returned to his position as Regional Administrator of the CFTC’s New York office.
“David Meister brings significant experience as both a prosecutor and an attorney in private practice,” Chairman Gensler said. “As the Commission implements the Dodd-Frank Act’s new provisions against fraud, manipulation and other disruptive trading practices, David’s background and leadership will be invaluable. I am very pleased that David is joining our team, and I look forward to working closely with him. I thank Vince McGonagle and Stephen Obie for their leadership of the Division of Enforcement during this transition. We are fortunate to have been able to rely on their leadership during this interim period.”
Mr. Meister will join the CFTC from the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he has been a partner in the firm’s White Collar Crime group. Mr. Meister previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where he was a member of that Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. In that capacity, he represented the government in numerous jury trials and appeals. He handled criminal cases involving market manipulation; insider trading; bank, securities and commodities fraud; accounting irregularities, obstruction of justice and other federal criminal violations.
“I am pleased to be joining the CFTC at this critical time in the Agency’s history,” Mr. Meister said. “I am honored to assist the Commission in pursuing the Agency’s important mission. I also am absolutely committed to working with the impressive Enforcement Division and other CFTC staff to find and prosecute those who perpetrate fraud, manipulation and other abusive practices in the futures and swap markets.”
Mr. Meister, a member of the Judiciary Committee of the New York City Bar Association, graduated from the Columbia University School of Law in 1987, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He graduated cum laude from the University of Delaware in 1984, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering. He and his wife Lotte have two children, Holly and Elliot.
