Abu Dhabi: His Excellency Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, CEO of the Capital Market Authority of the United Arab Emirates, has been re-elected as Chairman of the Africa and Middle East Regional Committee of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) for the period 2026-2028. The committee, which is currently chaired by His Excellency Al Awadhi, includes 41 regulatory bodies (29 voting members and 12 non-voting associate members) from Africa and the Middle East, and constitutes a pivotal platform for enhancing cooperation and coordination in the regulatory field at the regional level.

The unanimous and uncontested re-election of His Excellency Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi reflects the high level of confidence in the UAE and its regulatory leadership, and underscores international recognition of its efforts in building and developing advanced, forward-looking financial markets characterized by transparency, flexibility, and adaptability. During his tenure, the committee worked to strengthen supervisory and enforcement frameworks and expand cross-border regulatory cooperation.

This step comes at a time of increasing challenges at both the regional and international levels, underscoring the confidence of international regulators in the UAE's ability to maintain its continuity and leadership in supporting the stability of financial markets. It also reinforces the country's role as a key partner in enhancing regulatory cooperation and developing capital markets, and its active contribution to shaping the future direction of the global financial regulatory landscape.

The re-election of His Excellency Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi underscores his active role within the organization and its regional committee, as well as his leadership in efforts to solidify the UAE's position as a leading global financial center. As Chairman of the Committee, he will continue to represent the UAE on the Board of Directors of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), ensuring that the perspectives of African and Middle Eastern countries are conveyed and contributing to the development of regulatory standards and policies at the international level. Founded in 1983, IOSCO is the international standard-setting body for securities market regulation, with over 200 members overseeing more than 95% of the world's financial markets. In this context, the chairmanship of the regional committee is of strategic importance in supporting IOSCO's mission to protect investors, promote market integrity, and foster financial stability.

On this occasion, His Excellency Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Capital Market Authority, said: “ The unanimous re-election of Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi as Chairman of the Africa and Middle East Regional Committee reflects the confidence of regional and international regulators in his leadership of the committee and in the advanced regulatory framework of the UAE. This achievement comes amidst the increasing challenges facing the region and as the UAE continues to maintain the stability and efficiency of its markets. This appointment underscores the pivotal role the country plays in enhancing cooperation and coordination efforts and consolidating confidence in the markets across the region.”

In the next phase, and in light of geopolitical shifts and market developments, the Committee will continue to launch new initiatives that support the growth of capital markets and enhance their resilience to emerging risks, while also driving innovation in digital assets and market structures. It will also contribute to supporting market development in emerging economies, strengthening investor awareness programs, and adopting advanced approaches to sustainable finance and capacity building in member countries.

About the Capital Market Authority
The Capital Market Authority (CMA) was established in 2000 as the federal body responsible for regulating the capital markets in the United Arab Emirates. The CMA is tasked with supervising and regulating the securities and commodities markets, protecting investors' rights, and promoting transparency, integrity, and fairness in market practices, while also fostering confidence and competitiveness. The CMA employs an advanced regulatory framework aligned with international best practices, supporting the continuous development of the markets in accordance with the UAE's national economic vision.

Please visit the Authority’s website for more information: www.sca.gov.ae.

Biography of His Excellency Waleed Al-Awadhi

His Excellency Waleed Al Awadhi possesses extensive leadership experience spanning over two decades in the fields of financial services, financial regulation and supervision, governance, public policy, and legislation. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Capital Market Authority of the UAE, where he leads efforts to develop the regulatory framework in line with international best practices, contributes to enhancing market integrity, and oversees the Authority's strategic direction in support of national economic priorities.

His Excellency previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent and integrated regulator of the Dubai International Financial Centre. During this time, he oversaw several key functions, including licensing and permits, strategic operations, technology and innovation, cybersecurity, and corporate affairs, and led the Authority’s digital transformation program.

At the international level, His Excellency actively participates in the work of key global standard-setting bodies, such as the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), and the Union of Arab Securities Authorities (UASA). He currently serves as Chairman of the Africa and Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) at IOSCO and is a member of its Board of Directors, in addition to being an international evaluator of mutual evaluation processes for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

At the national level, His Excellency Waleed Al Awadhi is a member of a number of important councils and committees, including the boards of directors of “Dubai Health”, “Etihad Credit Information Company”, “Al Jalila Foundation”, and the board of trustees of the “National Fund for Social Responsibility (Majra)”, in addition to his membership in the “National Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing”.

At the beginning of his career, His Excellency held leadership positions in diverse sectors including banking, media, investment and real estate development, and technology, through his work in leading institutions such as Emirates Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Media, Dubai Holding, and Etisalat.

His Excellency holds a Master of Laws in Commercial Law and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Business. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School. He authored a book entitled "Sustainability of Family Businesses in the UAE – A Legal and Operational Perspective on Best Practices".

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