The Trustees of the IFRS Foundation have announced two major leadership appointments, selecting Steven Maijoor as the next Chair of the Trustees and Sam Woods as Chair of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
Maijoor, currently an Executive Board member at De Nederlandsche Bank and former Chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority, will assume the role of Trustee Chair on 1 January 2027 for an initial three-year term. He succeeds Erkki Liikanen, who has led the Trustees since 2018.
Having served as an IFRS Trustee since 2023 and Chair of the Foundation’s Due Process Oversight Committee, Maijoor’s appointment brings continuity to the oversight body responsible for the strategy, governance, and funding of the IASB and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). His selection has been approved by the IFRS Foundation Monitoring Board.
Woods, former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and Chief Executive Officer of the UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), will take over as IASB Chair on 1 October 2026 for a five-year term. He succeeds Andreas Barckow, whose tenure concluded in June 2026. Woods brings extensive background across financial regulation, public policy, and treasury operations, having previously served in senior positions at HM Treasury and the New Zealand Treasury.
The appointments complete the Foundation’s senior executive team. Maijoor and Woods will work alongside ISSB Chair Emmanuel Faber and incoming Managing Director Laura Forzani, who assumes her role on 1 September 2026.
Current Trustee Chair Erkki Liikanen praised the incoming leaders, noting that Maijoor’s background provides seamless organizational continuity while Woods’s regulatory expertise will guide the IASB through its next strategic phase. Toshiyuki Miyoshi, Chair of the IFRS Foundation Monitoring Board, also welcomed the appointments, highlighting the strategic importance of robust financial reporting standards across global capital markets.
