Emilio Aquino

Emilio Benito Aquino (born July 23, 1964) is the current chairperson and CEO of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines). He took office on June 7, 2018, and was appointed by then President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Aquino is also the first CPA-Lawyer to be appointed as SEC Chairperson. Prior to assuming this role, he served as SEC Commissioner after his initial appointment on December 2, 2016.

Early life and education
In 1984, Aquino graduated Magna Cum Laude and Valedictorian with a bachelor's degree in Commerce major in accounting at the Universidad de Zamboanga. After taking the CPA Licensure Exams, he scored a rating of 89.14 percent. He finished his law studies at San Beda University where he was a Dean’s Lister and Silver Medalist. He placed 16th in the 1992 Bar Exams.

Aquino earned his master's degree in Public Management at the Development Academy of the Philippines under a government scholarship. He was also the recipient of a Certificate of Study by the University of Sydney for a course on Effective Governance. Aquino likewise attended and completed the Fintech Advanced Program at the PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua University. He undertook the AIM Management Development Program for SEC and recently attended the Cambridge Fintech and Regulatory Innovation Program.

Career
For over a decade, Aquino was a practicing CPA-Lawyer based in Western Mindanao. When he assumed the role of SEC Chairperson, Aquino ushered the passage of the Revised Corporation Code, considered as a landmark piece of legislation, that was signed into law by then President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on February 21, 2019.

Currently, Aquino is the Supervising Commissioner for SEC's Enforcement and Investor Protection Department and the Office of the General Counsel. He organized enforcement drives and ushered in the recent sweep against investment scams and predatory lending practices. He is also the SEC's point person on matters related to financial technology, blockchain, and digital assets.

Apart from the SEC, Aquino is also the chairperson of the government-controlled Credit Information Corporation (CIC), the Microfinance NGO Regulatory Council, and the ASEAN Capital Market Forum Corporate Governance Working Group. He is likewise a sitting member of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).