Carlo Comporti has been formally appointed by the EU member states as chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority, taking up the post on 1 November 2026.
His term will run for five years and may be extended once, the Council of the EU said in a statement on Friday.
Comporti is currently a commissioner at Italy’s companies and stock exchange commission, CONSOB, and sits on ESMA’s board of supervisors and management board.
ESMA’s board of supervisors provided the Council with a shortlist of two candidates for the role.
EU ambassadors provisionally agreed on Comporti’s appointment in July 2026 following interviews with both candidates, the Council said, adding that the European Parliament endorsed the decision on 15 September.
What ESMA does
ESMA is the European Union’s financial markets regulator and supervisor, with a mission to enhance investor protection and promote stable and orderly financial markets, the Council said.
It works as part of the European System of Financial Supervision alongside other EU bodies including the European Banking Authority, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority and the European Systemic Risk Board, and with national securities regulators.
ESMA also regularly informs the Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament about its activities.
