The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) announced it had appointed Dr. Ying Li Compton as its chief economist and director of its Office of Economic Risk Analysis (OERA). OREA conducts independent, evidence-based economic and risk analyses to inform PCAOB’s oversight activities, including inspections, investigations, rulemaking, standard setting and post-implementation reviews.
Compton was previously with PwC International Limited, where she served as managing director, advising the Global Assurance Leadership Team. Prior to that she served as chief of staff toe the PwC US Assurance Leader. Compton has also served as the senior accounting and economic advisor to the Chief Accountant in the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant, after serving as the SEC’s financial economist in its Division of Economic and Risk Analysis.
“Evidence-based economic and risk analyses are critical to strengthening the PCAOB’s oversight and, by extension, its ability to accomplish its investor-protection mission,” PCAOB Chairman Demetrios (Jim) Logothetis said. “Dr. Compton brings to the PCAOB a strong combination of analytical experience and accounting expertise.”
Compton has also worked as an assistant professor of accounting at the George Washington University and Baruch College. She holds a Ph.D. in accounting from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“It is an honor to join the PCAOB and my OERA colleagues, and I look forward to our work together to build on the PCAOB’s reputation for high-quality analysis,” Compton said.
Dr. Erik Durbin, who has served as the Acting Chief Economist and Acting OERA Director in December 2025, will resume his role as OERAs Deputy Chief Economist, Economic Analysis.