Verena Ross

Verena Ross was appointed Executive Director of ESMA following a nomination by the ESMA Board of Supervisors on 22 February 2011, and a subsequent hearing in the European Parliament on 17 March 2011.  She took up her new responsibilities at ESMA on 1 June 2011.

Prior to this, Verena Ross held a number of senior posts in the UK's Financial Services Authority (FSA). In her last post, which she held from October 2009 until May 2011, Verena Ross was Director of the FSA's International Division reporting directly to the CEO. The Division's responsibilities included: delivering a strategic approach to FSA's international work, coordinating or supporting the FSA's EU and international committee work and providing technical advice on EU and international policy issues. Verena was also a member of the FSA's Executive Committee and the Executive Policy and Risk Committees.

Verena started her career at the Bank of England as an economist covering the East Asian economies before becoming a banking supervisor after studying in Hamburg, Taipei and London (SOAS).  From 1998 to 2000 she ran the Executive Chairman's office for Sir Howard Davies during the creation and early years of the UK's single regulator.  She was also briefly seconded as an advisor to the Securities and Futures Commission in Hong Kong in 2000.