Dubai Financial Services Authority Chief Executive Mark Steward has been appointed Vice Chair of IOSCO’s Growth and Emerging Markets Committee, a position that also gives him a seat on the board of the global securities-regulation body.
The Growth and Emerging Markets Committee represents regulators across developing and emerging financial markets and works on issues including market development, regulatory priorities and international supervisory cooperation. The DFSA said the committee currently includes 95 members, alongside 22 associate members.
IOSCO acts as the global standard setter for securities and derivatives regulators. Its members oversee more than 99% of the world’s financial markets across more than 130 jurisdictions, making its policy work directly relevant to brokers, exchanges, derivatives markets and other regulated financial institutions.
Steward became Chief Executive of the DFSA in May 2025. His earlier regulatory career includes serving as Executive Director of Enforcement and Market Oversight at the UK FCA, as well as senior enforcement positions at Hong Kong’s SFC and Australia’s ASIC.
At the DFSA, Steward oversees the regulator responsible for financial services within the DIFC, including securities, commodities derivatives, investment funds, banking and asset-management activities.
The new IOSCO role increases the DFSA’s involvement in international securities regulation and gives Dubai’s financial regulator a direct seat in board-level discussions concerning emerging markets and global regulatory standards.
