The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced the creation of a new senior role, with responsibility for advising and overseeing on climate risk and ESG issues for the agency, appointing Satyam Khanna as Senior Policy Advisor for Climate and ESG.

Acting SEC Chair Allison Herren Lee said:

“I am thrilled that Satyam is returning to the SEC to oversee and coordinate the agency’s efforts related to climate risk and other ESG developments, issues of great significance to investors and the capital markets.”

In his new position, Khanna will advise the SEC on environmental, social, and governance matters and advance related new initiatives across its offices and divisions. Khanna was previously a member of the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee, where he served on the Investor-As-Owner Subcommittee, and also served as Counsel to SEC Commissioner Robert J. Jackson Jr. Most recently, he has been serving as a Resident Fellow at NYU School of Law’s Institute for Corporate Governance and Finance, as well as on the Biden-Harris Presidential Transition’s Federal Reserve, Banking, and Securities Regulators Agency Review Team. He has also held positions including Advisor for the Principles for Responsible Investment, Fellow at Columbia Law School’s Program on Corporate Law and Policy, and served as a member of the staff of the Financial Stability Oversight Council at the U.S. Treasury Department.

Lee added:

“Having a dedicated advisor on these issues will allow us to look broadly at how they intersect with our regulatory framework across our offices and divisions. Satyam’s experience, insight, and resourcefulness will help ensure our efforts in this space are thoughtful and effective.”