Rhonda Davis, JD, CAMS, CFE

Rhonda Davis serves as Co-Chief Executive Officer of Bates Group and leads the firm’s Compliance practices. Since joining the firm in 2021, she has focused on practice development and providing strategic, practical regulatory guidance to broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and trust companies.

Her areas of expertise include broker-dealer and investment adviser registration applications, annual compliance program reviews, independent AML testing, mock examinations and examination support, risk assessments, and implementation of new regulatory requirements. She advises clients with a pragmatic approach grounded in both regulatory expectations and operational realities. 

Ms. Davis brings more than 25 years of experience in the securities industry, combining legal training with hands-on practical compliance leadership. Prior to joining Bates Group, she founded and led Cobia Compliance LLC for 12 years, where she provided regulatory consulting services to broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and credit unions. Her work included FINRA Rule 3120 and 3130 testing, Rule 206(4)-7 annual reviews, and independent AML testing engagements. 

Earlier in her career, Ms. Davis served as in-house counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for a broker-dealer. She also held the role of Legal Officer for a national bank, where she oversaw compliance for the bank’s investment adviser, mutual funds, and trust company. Ms. Davis also served as a compliance officer for a large broker-dealer and Chief Compliance Officer of its affiliated adviser. 

Ms. Davis holds the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designations. She is licensed to practice law in Texas and Mississippi and is a member of the National Society of Compliance Professionals (NSCP), where she currently serves as Co-Chair of the Conference Committee. She is also a member of the Investment Adviser Association (IAA) and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA).