The European Securities and Market Authority (ESMA) has chosen Natasha Cazenave as its candidate for the position of Executive Director. Currently at the AMF, which she represents in international institutions, Natasha Cazenave is an expert in asset management regulation and financial stability.

The European Securities and Market Authority (ESMA) has selected its executive director level. The new director is Frenchwoman Natasha Cazenave, currently Deputy Secretary General and Head of Policy and International Affairs at the AMF (Autorité des Marchés Financiers).

"The decision of the Board of Supervisors follows an open selection process, which it
communicated today to the European Parliament. The Council will appoint the candidate for the post of Executive Director after confirmation by the Parliament"ESMA commented in its statement, adding that the confirmation process should take place in the coming weeks.

She succeeds Verena Ross

Natasha Cazenave is to replace Verena Ross, who "has now completed the maximum term of office allowed by the ESMA Regulation and will step down on 29 May 2021".

A graduate of the Magistère Banque Finance Assurance of the University of Paris Dauphine, Natasha Cazenave also worked at Deminor for 8 years in advisory services to minority shareholders of listed companies. She was in charge of compensation procedures for victims of stock market crimes, as well as the promotion of best practices in corporate governance. She started her career at EY in the Corporate Finance department, in the "valuation and financial modelling" team.

Asset management and financial stability

Natasha Cazenave is an expert in asset management and was appointed head of the Asset Management Regulation Division at the AMF in June 2012, where she had joined in 2010 as a project manager. In September 2012, she was also elected chair of the IOSCO (International Organization of Securities Commissions) standing committee on asset management.

She works on the risks that asset management can pose to financial stability as co-chair of the Financial Stability Board's expert group on shadow finance since 2015.

As the new European Commission takes office, Natasha Cazenave spoke on behalf of the AMF to call for greater harmonisation of asset management rules. She also spoke out in favour of adapting to recent market developments, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and crypto-currencies.
Natasha Cazenave will be appointed for a five-year term, renewable once.