Rostin Behnam (C’00) was sworn in as the CFTC’s 15th Chair on January 4, 2022 after being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. President Biden nominated Chair Behnam to lead the agency. Previously, Chair Behnam served as CFTC Commissioner since September, 2017. The members of the Commission elected Commissioner Behnam as Acting Chair effective January 21, 2021.
Since joining the CFTC, Chair Behnam has individually and as sponsor of the CFTC’s Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC) advocated for the CFTC to use its authority and expertise to ensure the derivatives markets operate transparently and fairly for participants and customers, and innovate responsibly to address evolving market structures and products and the emergence and movement of risk across clearinghouses, exchanges, intermediaries, market makers and end-users within an appropriate oversight framework. Through his MRAC sponsorship, Chair Behnam convened leading market experts and public interest groups to engage in public dialogue on such timely issues as global interest rate benchmark reform, central counterparty (CCP) risk and governance, evolving market structures, and since the summer of 2019, climate-related market risk.
After graduating from Georgetown University, Chair Behnam worked as a proprietary equities trader in New York City before pursuing a Juris Doctorate at Syracuse University. During his legal studies, Chair Behnam interned with the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement in the New York Regional Office.