MPD Director Joshua B. Sterling to Depart CFTC in Jan
- Joshua B. Sterling has been Market Participants Division (MPD) Director at the CFTC since August 2019.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC CFTC The 1974 Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) in the United States created the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The Commission protects and regulates market activities against manipulation, fraud, and abuse trade practices and promotes fairness in futures contracts. The CEA also included the Sad-Johnson Agreement, which defined the authority and responsibilities for the monitoring of financial contracts between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commiss The 1974 Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) in the United States created the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The Commission protects and regulates market activities against manipulation, fraud, and abuse trade practices and promotes fairness in futures contracts. The CEA also included the Sad-Johnson Agreement, which defined the authority and responsibilities for the monitoring of financial contracts between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commiss Read this Term) announced on Monday that Joshua B. Sterling, Market Participants Division (MPD) Director at the CFTC since joining the agency in August 2019, will depart from his role by the end of January 2021.
In a statement on the CFTC website, CFTC Chairman and Chief Executive, Heath P. Tarbert said: “Josh has been an integral member of my team since the first weeks of my term.”
“He leaves behind a legacy of significant accomplishments, all of which centered around the goal of establishing and implementing smart, effective, and practical oversight of the 3,300 derivatives intermediaries registered

LinkedIn: Joshua B. Sterling
with the CFTC. I am grateful for Josh’s service and his contributions to our historic rulemaking agenda.”
Mr. Sterling, a born-and-bred Ohioan, has spent the entirety of his professional career practicing law in the financial services sector, most recently as a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Washington, D.C. He said of his departure: “Time and again, the Market Participants Division has delivered on its commitments under Chairman Tarbert’s strategic action plan. In doing so, the Division has helped the Commission fulfil its vision of being the global standard for sound derivatives Regulation Regulation Like any other industry with a high net worth, the financial services industry is tightly regulated to help curb illicit behavior and manipulation. Each asset class has its own set of protocols put in place to combat their respective forms of abuse.In the foreign exchange space, regulation is assumed by authorities in multiple jurisdictions, though ultimately lacking a binding international order. Who are the Industry’s Leading Regulators?Regulators such as the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority ( Like any other industry with a high net worth, the financial services industry is tightly regulated to help curb illicit behavior and manipulation. Each asset class has its own set of protocols put in place to combat their respective forms of abuse.In the foreign exchange space, regulation is assumed by authorities in multiple jurisdictions, though ultimately lacking a binding international order. Who are the Industry’s Leading Regulators?Regulators such as the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority ( Read this Term, and every member of our talented staff will forever have my gratitude and respect for the results we achieved together."
"It has been the greatest honor of my professional career to serve the Commission and the American public, and I deeply appreciate Chairman Tarbert for allowing me the opportunity to do so. I also wish to thank the Commissioners, their staffs, and the staff of the entire agency for their support and cooperation over the past two years.”
Under Mr. Sterling’s stewardship, the Market Participants Division implemented the Dodd-Frank Act and helped lead the agency’s response to market developments resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, MPD expanded the Division’s mandate and completed 35 rule actions that were approved for public comment or finalization by the Commission.
MPD Deputy Director, Amanda Olear will serve as the Division’s Acting Director upon Mr. Sterling's departure next month.
Chairman Tarbert said: “Amanda represents the very best of our career civil service — a safe pair of hands whose dedication and expertise is unmatched.”
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC CFTC The 1974 Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) in the United States created the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The Commission protects and regulates market activities against manipulation, fraud, and abuse trade practices and promotes fairness in futures contracts. The CEA also included the Sad-Johnson Agreement, which defined the authority and responsibilities for the monitoring of financial contracts between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commiss The 1974 Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) in the United States created the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The Commission protects and regulates market activities against manipulation, fraud, and abuse trade practices and promotes fairness in futures contracts. The CEA also included the Sad-Johnson Agreement, which defined the authority and responsibilities for the monitoring of financial contracts between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commiss Read this Term) announced on Monday that Joshua B. Sterling, Market Participants Division (MPD) Director at the CFTC since joining the agency in August 2019, will depart from his role by the end of January 2021.
In a statement on the CFTC website, CFTC Chairman and Chief Executive, Heath P. Tarbert said: “Josh has been an integral member of my team since the first weeks of my term.”
“He leaves behind a legacy of significant accomplishments, all of which centered around the goal of establishing and implementing smart, effective, and practical oversight of the 3,300 derivatives intermediaries registered

LinkedIn: Joshua B. Sterling
with the CFTC. I am grateful for Josh’s service and his contributions to our historic rulemaking agenda.”
Mr. Sterling, a born-and-bred Ohioan, has spent the entirety of his professional career practicing law in the financial services sector, most recently as a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Washington, D.C. He said of his departure: “Time and again, the Market Participants Division has delivered on its commitments under Chairman Tarbert’s strategic action plan. In doing so, the Division has helped the Commission fulfil its vision of being the global standard for sound derivatives Regulation Regulation Like any other industry with a high net worth, the financial services industry is tightly regulated to help curb illicit behavior and manipulation. Each asset class has its own set of protocols put in place to combat their respective forms of abuse.In the foreign exchange space, regulation is assumed by authorities in multiple jurisdictions, though ultimately lacking a binding international order. Who are the Industry’s Leading Regulators?Regulators such as the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority ( Like any other industry with a high net worth, the financial services industry is tightly regulated to help curb illicit behavior and manipulation. Each asset class has its own set of protocols put in place to combat their respective forms of abuse.In the foreign exchange space, regulation is assumed by authorities in multiple jurisdictions, though ultimately lacking a binding international order. Who are the Industry’s Leading Regulators?Regulators such as the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority ( Read this Term, and every member of our talented staff will forever have my gratitude and respect for the results we achieved together."
"It has been the greatest honor of my professional career to serve the Commission and the American public, and I deeply appreciate Chairman Tarbert for allowing me the opportunity to do so. I also wish to thank the Commissioners, their staffs, and the staff of the entire agency for their support and cooperation over the past two years.”
Under Mr. Sterling’s stewardship, the Market Participants Division implemented the Dodd-Frank Act and helped lead the agency’s response to market developments resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, MPD expanded the Division’s mandate and completed 35 rule actions that were approved for public comment or finalization by the Commission.
MPD Deputy Director, Amanda Olear will serve as the Division’s Acting Director upon Mr. Sterling's departure next month.
Chairman Tarbert said: “Amanda represents the very best of our career civil service — a safe pair of hands whose dedication and expertise is unmatched.”