The Office of the President of the Philippines has officially announced the appointment of Francis Ed. Lim as the new chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

This transition comes after Emilio B. Aquino concluded his term in this capacity.

Lim, currently serving as a senior legal counsel at ACCRALAW, one of the leading law firms in the Philippines, has been recognized as one of the nation's Top 100 Lawyers by the Asia Business Law Journal in 2021.

Francis Ed. Lim brings extensive experience in corporate law and litigation to the SEC.

Throughout his career, he has led teams involved in significant capital market transactions across the country.

Notable dealings include equity offerings for major corporations such as Alliance Select Foods International, Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, BDO Unibank, Bloomberry Resorts, Century Properties, Lucio Tan Group, Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts, and Travellers International Hotel Group.

He has also played a pivotal role in bond offerings for entities like Filinvest Group and First Metro Investments Corporation, in addition to overseeing the listing of the Philippines' inaugural Exchange Traded Fund on the PSE.

Lim held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Stock Exchange from 2004 to 2010. His tenure included leadership roles in various organizations, such as the Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines, the Capital Market Development Center, the Philippine Stock Exchange Foundation, the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corporation, and the Securities Investors Protection Fund.

Beyond his corporate engagements, Lim is a board member of several public companies, including the Energy Development Corporation, Insular Life Assurance Company, and Producers Savings Bank Corporation.

He has also contributed to the judiciary as Co-Chairperson of the Rules on e-Commerce and Notaries Public sub-committees of the Supreme Court, and is involved in additional sub-committees addressing Commercial Courts, Evidence, and DNA Evidence.

In academia, Lim serves as a law professor at both Ateneo Law School and San Beda College Graduate School of Law, specializing in Securities Regulation, International Business Transactions, Arbitration, Evidence, and Partnership law.

He is further involved in legal education as a professional lecturer for the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) and holds the position of Vice-Chair in its Commercial Law Department.

Lim is the current president of the Shareholders' Association of the Philippines and actively participates as a board member in several professional organizations, including the Management Association of the Philippines, where he also served as President in 2020. His contributions extend to governance with his roles at the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, CIBI Foundation, and the Judicial Reform Initiative.