FINRA Seeks Input from Stakeholders as Part of Its FINRA360 Initiative

On March 21, 2017, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) issued a special notice seeking input on FINRA’s current engagement programs from its members and any other interested parties.  The notice provided detailed information regarding FINRA’s ongoing efforts to engage members and investors, including through advisory, ad hoc and district committees, FINRA’s rulemaking process and retrospective rule reviews, member educational offerings and compliance tools, investor education, operations reporting, and other communications. In the notice, FINRA noted that engagement was critical to the effectiveness of its operations in that it allows FIRNA to learn from its members in an effort “to enrich its regulatory programs and identify ways to protect investors and promote market integrity that are more practical, tailored and effective.” It also noted that constructive feedback should inform decisions regarding the success of its rules or programs and potential changes to the same.

FINRA urged anyone with such feedback to send it to FINRA’s Office of the Corporate Secretary on or before May 5, 2017. This outreach is part of the SRO’s ongoing FINRA360 initiative, in which FINRA is attempting a comprehensive review of its operations and programs.

_{Joshua D. Jones is a principal with Bressler Amery Ross in Birmingham, Alabama.}

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