FINRA has announced the promotion of Michael Solomon to the position of Executive Vice President of Examinations and Membership Application Program, effective immediately. Solomon, who rejoined FINRA in 2022 as Senior Vice President and Head of Examinations, has since taken on expanded leadership responsibilities. He will continue reporting to Greg Ruppert, Executive Vice President of Member Supervision.
In his new role, Solomon will oversee FINRA’s National Examination Program, which has recently undergone consolidation to include all examinations conducted by the organization. Responsible for approximately 750 examiners and managers, Solomon will manage all aspects of the program, including strategic direction, operations, continuous improvement, and key internal and external relationships.
The Examinations program plays a pivotal role in FINRA’s regulatory operations, conducting over 1,000 examinations annually to ensure compliance with FINRA’s rules, federal securities laws and regulations, and, when applicable, exchanges’ rules. Member firms undergo examinations at least once every four years, with frequency varying based on the firm’s risk profile.
Ruppert emphasized the critical role of regular and thorough examinations in maintaining strong investor protection, praising Solomon’s leadership and experience in global financial services firms.
Solomon expressed his commitment to utilizing a risk-based approach to oversight and leading teams in identifying and addressing emerging trends and patterns that pose risks to investors, broker-dealers, and securities markets.
In addition to his responsibilities in the Examinations program, Solomon will continue overseeing the Membership Application and Statutory Disqualification programs, providing intelligence to other agencies and regulators overseeing the broker-dealer community.
Prior to rejoining FINRA in 2022, Solomon served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for Rockefeller Financial LLC. With over seven years of experience as Senior Vice President and Northeast Regional Director at FINRA, Solomon brings a wealth of regulatory expertise to his current role.
Solomon’s background includes senior legal and compliance roles at global financial services firms such as Jefferies, UBS, and Merrill Lynch. He also served as trial counsel in the New York Stock Exchange Enforcement Division and began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan, focusing on investigating and prosecuting various criminal activities.
About FINRA: FINRA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to investor protection and market integrity. As a regulator of member brokerage firms in the U.S., FINRA writes rules, examines for compliance, registers broker-dealer personnel, provides education and training, and offers surveillance and regulatory services for equities and options markets. Additionally, FINRA administers a dispute resolution forum for investors and brokerage firms. For more information, visit www.finra.org.
