Austin Gerig

Chief Data Officer

Professional Overview
Austin Gerig is an accomplished data science and financial economics expert serving as the Chief Data Officer at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). With over 15 years of experience in the public and academic sectors, he is a respected leader in leveraging data-driven insights to inform financial market policy and regulatory decision-making.

Experience Summary

Current Role
As the Chief Data Officer at the SEC since 2020, Gerig oversees the agency's data strategy, governance, and analytics initiatives. In this role, he has spearheaded the development of advanced data modeling and visualization tools to enhance the SEC's market surveillance and risk assessment capabilities. Under his leadership, the agency has achieved significant improvements in data quality, accessibility, and integration, enabling more informed policy decisions and proactive risk mitigation.

Career Progression
Prior to his current position, Gerig held various roles within the SEC, including Head of the Office of Data Science in the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis and Financial Economist. During his tenure, he made notable contributions to the agency's efforts to leverage data and analytics to identify emerging risks and inform regulatory policy. Gerig has also held academic positions, including a Senior Fellowship at the University of Oxford and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Technology Sydney, where he conducted research on financial market dynamics and complex systems.

Academic Background
Gerig holds a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he also earned an MS in Finance. He completed his undergraduate studies with a BS in Physics from the University of Notre Dame.

Areas of Expertise

• Financial data analytics and modeling

• Regulatory policy development and implementation

• Data governance and strategy

• Complex systems analysis and simulation

• Quantitative research and risk assessment

Professional Impact
Gerig's work has had a significant impact on the SEC's ability to monitor and respond to evolving financial market risks. His innovative data-driven approaches have helped the agency enhance its market surveillance capabilities, identify potential vulnerabilities, and proactively address regulatory challenges. Gerig's research and analytical contributions have been widely recognized, and he is frequently invited to speak at industry conferences and events.

Conclusion
With his exceptional data science expertise, deep understanding of financial markets, and proven track record of driving organizational transformation, Austin Gerig is poised to continue making valuable contributions to the SEC's mission of protecting investors, maintaining fair and orderly functioning of securities markets, and facilitating capital formation.