Career moves

CRE Finance Council Europe (CREFC Europe) has appointed Peter Denton as chair-elect of the group.

It is hard to deny Richard Cordray's hiring to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) nearly four months ago is a flash point in continuing debates over regulatory appointments and implementing the Dodd-Frank Act.

New York-based commercial real estate (CRE) finance firm Ladder Capital Finance Holdings appointed Michael Mazzei as president.

Delton de Armas, previously CFO of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker (TBW), pleaded guilty today to making false statements and conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud.

Jones Day hired Ilene Froom as a partner in the banking and finance practice based in New York. She previously worked at JPMorgan Chase Bank where she was executive director and assistant general counsel.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Tuesday sued the former top executives of now defunct 'super' Jumbo lender Thornburg Mortgage.

Law firm DLA Piper has hired Richard Reilly as a partner in its global investment funds practice. He’ll be based in the firm’s New York office, but will also work with the London branch.

PHH Corp. named Smriti Laxman Popenoe, executive vice president and chief risk officer at the firm, as interim president for PHH Mortgage.

Investment bank North Sea Partners has hired Steve Paras as managing director and head of European capital markets.

Standard & Poor's has appointed Michelle Weston as regional practice leader for structured finance ratings in EMEA.

Kleinberg, Kaplan, Wolff & Cohen, P.C. has hired Howard Mulligan as of counsel in the corporate department.

SNR Denton boosted its financial institutions regulatory practice by hiring Lisa Ledbetter, former vice president and deputy general counsel for Freddie Mac, as a partner in its Washington DC office.

Dynex Capital announced today that Byron Boston took over as president of the board of directors.

Henderson Global Investors has hired John Feeney as head of real estate debt in its secured credit team.

KGS-Alpha Capital Markets added an investment grade corporate bond sales and trading team to its fixed income platform.

JGWPT Holdings named Lior Yahalomi its new chief financial officer and executive vice president.

The Obama administration's plan to refinance underwater borrowers with private-label mortgages was supposed to be dead on arrival – but it appears Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the Banking Committee, wants to hear more.

During a pair of appearances Tuesday on Capitol Hill, top housing officials from the Obama administration sought to reassure members of Congress about the financial condition of the Federal Housing Administration.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has recommended disciplinary action be taken against two CLO professionals affiliated with Guggenheim Capital Markets.