The International Council of Securities Associations (ICSA) held its Annual General Meeting in early March in New Delhi, bringing together member associations from different regions to discuss governance, market developments and priorities for the global securities industry.

During the meeting, members approved ICSA’s new chair and board for the 2026-27 term. Following Urban Funered, from the Swedish Securities Markets Association, Peter Stein, CEO of the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) and the Global Financial Markets Association (GFMA), was elected chair and is set to take office at the interim meeting in October.

During the meeting, members approved ICSA’s new chair and board for the 2026-27 term. Peter Stein, CEO of the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) and the Global Financial Markets Association (GFMA), was elected chair, succeeding Urban Funered of the Swedish Securities Markets Association. Stein is set to take office at the interim meeting in October.

As part of the board renewal, members also approved Anbima for another mandate in the 2026-27 term.

Another key outcome of the meeting was the confirmation that Anbima will host the 2027 edition of the ICSA AGM in Rio de Janeiro, from April 18 to 20. The event will bring the global association to Brazil for a new round of discussions on regulation, market development, innovation and shared industry challenges.

The choice of Rio de Janeiro highlights Brazil’s growing relevance in international market discussions and creates an opportunity to welcome representatives from securities associations around the world to one of the country’s best-known cities. The Brazilian edition is expected to combine a substantive agenda with diverse perspectives and an environment designed to encourage dialogue, collaboration and lasting professional connections.

As part of the AGM’s tour de table, Ana Flávia Lopes, head of International Affairs at Anbima, presented an overview of Brazil’s current macroeconomic environment, capital markets landscape and regulatory priorities. Her remarks highlighted the resilience and increasing depth of the Brazilian market, even in a complex domestic and global setting.

Among the topics raised were the strong performance of Brazil’s capital markets in recent years, record infrastructure bond issuance, the growing role of market-based financing in supporting the real economy, and the size of the country’s investment fund industry, now among the ten largest globally. Tatiana Itikawa, Anbima’s chief of Regulatory Policy and Business Development, also took part in the discussion.

Lopes also pointed to regulatory and self-regulatory initiatives involving virtual assets, financing for small and midsize companies, investor protection, cybersecurity, tokenization and innovation.

“Participating in the ICSA AGM is an important opportunity to exchange views with peer associations and contribute Brazil’s perspective to global discussions on capital markets. We are also very pleased that Rio de Janeiro has been confirmed as the host city for the 2027 meeting, which will allow us to welcome the international community to Brazil and further strengthen this dialogue,” Lopes said.

The AGM reaffirmed ICSA’s role as a forum for cooperation among securities associations and for the exchange of views on issues shaping capital markets across jurisdictions. For Anbima, the meeting also marked another step in its efforts to expand its international engagement and deepen relationships with associations, regulators and other market participants around the world.