The SEC said on July 21 that it has appointed George Botic as PCAOB acting chair effective Jul. 23. Current PCAOB Chair Erica Williams' resignation from the Board effective Jul. 22.

Williams stepped down after SEC Chair Paul Atkins asked for her resignation. In an email Williams sent to PCAOB staffers, Williams said that Jul. 22 was her last day as chair of the PCAOB.

“I thank Erica Williams for her dedicated service on the Board, and I look forward to working with George Botic as Acting Chair,” said SEC Chairman Paul Atkins.

In response, Botic said that “I am honored to work with the SEC and the staff of the PCAOB as Acting Chair to ensure that we meet the mission established by Congress.” 

Botic is a CPA and became a PCAOB Board Member on Oct. 25, 2023. Before joining the PCAOB, he was  the director of the PCAOB’s Division of Registration and Inspections. In this position, Botic oversaw the registration and inspection of all domestic and foreign accounting firms that audit public companies and whose securities trade in the U.S. He also supervised broker-dealer audits.

Botic has been in various roles at the PCAOB, including as Director of the Office of International Affairs, Special Advisor to former Chairperson James R. Doty, and Deputy Director of the Registration and Inspections Division.

Earlier in his career, he served as a senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a graduate of Shepherd University and received a Master of Accountancy from Virginia Tech.