Verena Ross

Verena Bettina Ross (born 4 March 1968) is a German economist. She is President of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

Biography Verena Ross studied economics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She then served as chief of staff to Howard Davies, the first chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), upon its establishment in 2000. In 2011, she was the preferred candidate of the City of London. and highlighted ESMA's lack of resources to regulate cryptocurrencies and their impact on financial markets.

In December 2025, Verena Ross announced that she will not seek a second mandate as chair of ESMA and will therefore step down at end of her term, in October 2026.