The European Securities and Markets Authority has appointed Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani (Autorité des Marchés Financiers, France) and Christopher P. Buttigieg (Financial Services Authority, Malta) as new members of its Management Board, and reappointed Armi Taipale (Finanssivalvonta, Finland) for a second mandate. The election was held at the ESMA Board of Supervisors meeting on 10 December 2025. The appointments take effect from 1 January 2026 and replace Vasiliki Lazarakou (HCMC, Greece) and Jos Heuvelman (Autoriteit Financiële Markten, the Netherlands), whose mandates end on 31 December 2025. From 1 January 2026, the Management Board will include ESMA Chair Verena Ross, Ante Žigman (HANFA, Croatia), Taipale, Barbat-Layani, Thorsten Pötzsch (BaFin, Germany), Carlo Comporti (CONSOB, Italy) and Buttigieg, alongside non-voting and observer participants including ESMA Executive Director Natasha Cazenave, ESMA Vice-Chair Vojtech Belling and a European Commission representative; the Board is responsible for ensuring ESMA carries out its mission and tasks under its founding Regulation.
European Securities and Markets Authority 2025-12-11
European Securities and Markets Authority appoints Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani and Christopher P. Buttigieg to its Management Board and reappoints Armi Taipale
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has appointed Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani and Christopher P. Buttigieg as new Management Board members, with Armi Taipale reappointed for a second term. Effective 1 January 2026, these appointments follow the conclusion of mandates for Vasiliki Lazarakou and Jos Heuvelman. The Management Board, including ESMA Chair Verena Ross and other key members, oversees ESMA's mission and tasks under its founding Regulation.