SEC Announces Retirement of Deputy Director Cicely LaMothe

USA: SEC Announces Retirement of Deputy Director Cicely LaMothe

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that Cicely LaMothe, deputy director of the Division of Corporation Finance, will retire after a 24‑year tenure at the agency.

Leadership Praise

Jim Moloney, director of the Division of Corporation Finance, said LaMothe “has gone above and beyond the call of duty… throughout her tenure she has contributed her passion, commitment, and accounting expertise to support our mission.”

Career Highlights

LaMothe joined the division in 2002 and has held senior positions including program director of the Disclosure Review Program, associate director of the Office of Assessment and Continuous Improvement, and associate director of Disclosure Operations before becoming deputy director for Disclosure Operations in 2022. She also served as acting director until Moloney’s appointment on September 30, 2025.

Regulatory Contributions

During her service, she helped increase regulatory transparency by issuing more than 25 new and updated Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations covering topics such as clawbacks, deSPACs, and Rule 10b5‑1, as well as staff bulletins and seven staff statements on emerging crypto matters, including liquid staking, stablecoins, mining activities, meme coins, and crypto exchange‑traded products.

Policy Initiatives

LaMothe also drove policy recommendations to accelerate registration statements with mandatory arbitration provisions and contributed to concept releases addressing foreign private issuers and asset‑backed securities. Additionally, she expanded accommodations for companies submitting draft registration statements to promote capital formation.

Personal Reflections

In her departure statement, LaMothe expressed “a deep sense of honor and gratitude for the opportunity to serve the American public,” noting the challenges and rewards of her work and thanking colleagues for their integrity and friendship.

Professional Background

Before joining the SEC, LaMothe spent six years in the private sector as a financial reporting manager for a public company and at a national accounting firm. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Hampton University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

This report is based on information from SEC, licensed under Public Domain (U.S. Government Work). Source: Official U.S. Government release.