Kara Novaco Brockmeyer, chief of the Enforcement Division’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Unit at the Securities and Exchange Commission, is leaving the agency after 17 years of service.
Since 2011, Brockmeyer has led a national unit of 38 attorneys, accountants, and other specialists focusing on violations of the anti-bribery and accounting provisions of the federal securities laws. Brockmeyer also founded and served as the co-head of the Enforcement Division’s Cross Border Working Group, an initiative focusing on U.S. companies with substantial foreign operations.
“Kara’s creativity and perseverance have led to truly outstanding results in the SEC’s FCPA program,” Stephanie Avakian, acting director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, said. “Her leadership of the unit has led to many successes in the FCPA area.”
Under Brockmeyer’s supervision of the FCPA unit, the SEC has brought 72 FCPA enforcement actions, addressing a wide range of misconduct and resulting in judgments and orders totaling more than $2 billion in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and penalties.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to work with the incredibly talented and dedicated staff in the FCPA Unit and throughout the Division of Enforcement and the SEC. I am very proud of the results that the unit has achieved over the past five years,” Brockmeyer said.
Charles Cain, who is currently the deputy chief of the FCPA Unit, will serve as acting chief following Brockmeyer’s departure later this month.
Brockmeyer joined the SEC in 2000 following several years in private practice. She started supervising investigations in 2002 and was promoted to assistant director in 2005. In addition to FCPA investigations, Brockmeyer supervised matters involving financial fraud, insider trading, market manipulation, and violations by regulated entities.
She received the Capital Markets Award and the Supervisory Excellence Award from the SEC in 2004 as well as the Irving Pollack Award in 2013 and the Meritorious Impact Award in 2016.