Petal Walker, Chief Counsel to Former CFTC Commissioner Bowen, Leaving Agency

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:

Petal Walker, Chief Counsel to former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Commissioner Sharon Bowen will leave the CFTC effective today.

"Petal has been a vital member of my team since I joined the Commission," said former Commissioner Bowen. "She joined my office with a wealth of knowledge on matters that were critical to the Commission. She used that expertise to serve me well as a Commissioner and a trusted friend. I wish her much success."

Walker, who joined the CFTC in October 2014, advised Commissioner Bowen on a variety of significant derivatives-related issues including central counterparty (CCP) resilience and resolution, cybersecurity, cross-border harmonization, and capital and margin requirements She also advised and participated in numerous meetings with senior management in a variety of entities including investment banks, exchanges, trade associations, asset managers, insurance companies, commercial end-users, as well as domestic and international regulators.

As the Designated Federal Officer for the CFTC's Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC), Walker was responsible for supporting Commissioner Bowen in establishing the MRAC, including choosing members and subcommittees. In this role, she managed a 2-year process in which the CCP Risk Management Subcommittee's substantive recommendations on CCP risk management were fully adopted by the MRAC by an overwhelming majority.

Prior to joining the CFTC, Walker was a Senior Associate at WilmerHale. Walker is returning to WilmerHale as a Special Counsel in the Futures and Derivatives Group.