The SEC has a new chief accountant

Kurt Hohl, a former EY partner with almost 40 years’ audit and accounting experience, will be the SEC’s next chief accountant, the agency announced last week. He’ll take the reins on July 7. Ryan Wolfe, who served as acting chief accountant, will resume his role as chief accountant in the Division of Enforcement.

Hohl succeeds Paul Munter, who became SEC chief accountant in 2023 and retired this January.

Prior to taking the chief accountant role, Kohl ran consulting firm Corallium Advisors. He spent the bulk of his career at EY, where he worked for more than 25 years. In his final role at EY, as global deputy vice chair for professional practice, he led a group of more than 1,400 people and oversaw “the technical, regulatory, risk, and quality oversight functions of EY’s global professional practice organization,” according to the SEC’s press release.

But before that, Hohl was an associate chief accountant for the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance. He wrote the Staff Training Manual, later known as the Financial Reporting Manual, a guide to federal securities laws for SEC accounting staff and practitioners.

Hohl returns to the SEC at a time of transition. Around 12% of the agency’s staff have taken buyouts or deferred resignations since DOGE restructuring began after President Trump's inauguration in January. Paul Atkins, who has a decided deregulatory bent, was confirmed as chair in April.

“I’m pleased to come back to the SEC along with Chairman Atkins,” Hohl said in a statement. “This is a pivotal time for our capital markets, and I look forward to working with the dedicated public servants in the Office of the Chief Accountant to advance accounting and auditing policies that reinforce investor confidence, enhance transparency, and support innovation.”