Sarah Court Appointed New Chair of ASIC as Regulator Ramps Up Enforcement

Sarah Court will serve as the new chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on June 1, succeeding outgoing Chairman Joe Longo.

Court, currently ASIC’s Deputy Chair since 2021, brings extensive regulatory experience. She previously worked for 13 years at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), where she led enforcement and compliance committees, and earlier worked as a senior lawyer at the Australian Government Solicitor.

Longo welcomed her appointment, praising her role in ASIC’s transformation: "Her work as ASIC’s Deputy Chair has been instrumental to the success of the agency’s structural transformation that has strengthened our enforcement posture and work, leading to better outcomes for consumers and a fairer financial system."

ASIC Enforcement at Record Levels

Court takes charge as ASIC intensifies its crackdown on financial misconduct:

• $120 million in court-ordered penalties secured in 2024–25, a 50% increase in enforcement actions.
• 252 investigations launched and 829 targeted surveillances completed.
• Nearly 7,000 scam websites removed.
• Financial reporting misconduct is named among ASIC’s top 10 priorities for 2026, signaling tougher oversight of CFD brokers and financial services firms.

ASIC granted 290 new Australian Financial Services licenses in 2025, up 10% from the previous year, driven largely by digital asset operators. At the same time, the regulator canceled or suspended 215 licenses, underscoring its focus on compliance.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher noted that Court’s appointment means women now lead five of Australia’s key economic institutions: the Commonwealth Treasury, the Reserve Bank of Australia, ASIC, ACCC, and the Productivity Commission.