Australia Names First Female ASIC Chief Sarah Court

Australia's financial sector just made history with a milestone that's been decades in the making.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced Sarah Court will become the first female chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission when she begins her five-year term on July 1. She's been serving as ASIC's deputy chair since 2021, helping deliver some of the regulator's strongest enforcement results on record.

Court brings serious credentials to the role. Before joining ASIC, she worked as a commissioner at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and spent years as a senior lawyer at the Australian Government Solicitor. Her track record as a seasoned litigator made her the natural choice to succeed outgoing chair Joe Longo.

"Ms Court has been an excellent deputy and she'll be an outstanding chair," Chalmers said. Over the past five years, she's substantially strengthened ASIC's enforcement and investigation capabilities while sharpening the regulator's focus on protecting consumers and lifting standards across Australia's financial system.

The Ripple Effect

Court's appointment creates something Australia has never seen before. For the first time, women now lead all of the country's key economic institutions simultaneously.

She joins Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock, ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb, Treasury Secretary Jenny Wilkinson, and Productivity Commission Chair Danielle Wood. Together, these five women now shape the economic policies affecting 26 million Australians.

As ASIC chair, Court will have significant influence over Australian corporate culture at a critical time. The role requires striking a delicate balance between preventing consumer harm and avoiding over-regulation that could stifle innovation.

Under Longo's leadership, ASIC underwent a major digital transformation and strengthened its enforcement capabilities. Court will build on that foundation while navigating ongoing debates about regulatory approaches in an increasingly complex financial landscape.

The appointment sends a powerful message that expertise and proven leadership matter most when choosing who runs the institutions that protect consumers and maintain market integrity.