15/10/2021 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 15 October, the Council of the European Union gave its final approval to the appointment of Verena Ross of Germany as head of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), effective 1 November for a five-year term, renewable once. Mrs Ross, who was executive director of the European authority after working at the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, will replace Dutchman Steven Maijoor. She was not the first choice of ESMA’s supervisory board, which had shortlisted the Italian Carmine di Noia, the head of the Italian securities regulator (see EUROPE 12796/8). The European Parliament supports the appointment of Mrs Ross, which allows for the ‘feminisation’ of the top European positions in financial market supervision. (MB)