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FINRA Annual 2025: OBAs in the spotlight

Image of panelists at the FINRA annual conference, May 2025: Nathaniel Stankard; Norm Ashkenas; Greg McShea; Linde Murphy and Nate Saint Victor
Panelists at the FINRA annual conference, May 2025: Nathaniel Stankard; Norm Ashkenas; Greg McShea; Linde Murphy and Nate Saint Victor. Photo: Julie DiMauro

Industry weighs in on FINRA rules requiring member firms to oversee their associated persons’ outside activities.

The compliance challenge posed by monitoring outside business activities (OBAs) was addressed on a number of occasions by FINRA representatives and several panelists at the FINRA annual conference last week in Washington, DD.

Robert Cook, FINRA CEO and president, mentioned how the agency had to issue a statement clarifying that