The International Organization of Securities Commissions announced a series of election results as it closed its latest annual meeting in Paris.

The conference, which was host to more than 750 delegates from more than 100 countries, was the last for Michel Prada, head of France’s Autorité des marchés financiers, as chairman of the group’s influential Technical Committee.

That role has been handed over to Christopher Cox, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Also, Hans Hoogervoorst, chairman of the executive board of the Autoriteit Financiële Markten of the Netherlands, was elected as vice chair.

Along with the reports on sub prime crisis and credit rating agencies that were released during the conference, the technical committee also approved for publication various other reports, including: the final report from the Task Force on Private Equity, Contingency Planning for Events and Conditions Affecting Availability of Audit Services, a final report on Funds of Hedge Funds, a review of regulatory issues facing real estate funds, and a report on establishing a framework for setting strategic priorities.

Additionally, Guillermo Larrain, chairman of Chile’s Superintendencia de Valores y Seguros, was elected chairman of the emerging markets committee; and, Zarinah Anwar, chairman of the Securities Commission of Malaysia was elected as vice chair.

An election also took place for a new executive committee. That committee is composed of 19 ordinary members and it represents the main policy setting and decision making body of the organization. It includes Cox, Larrain, the chairmen of the four regional committees, nine members elected by the Presidents’ Committee and our elected by the Regional Committees. Ontario stood for election, but did not make it. Instead, regulators from Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Africa, the UK, Morocco, Spain, New Zealand, and Argentina, were all elected.

Jane Diplock, chair of the New Zealand Securities Commission, was re-elected chairperson of the executive committee; and Shang Fulin, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission was re-elected as vice chair. All these appointments and elected positions are for a two year term.

IOSCO also welcomed four new affiliate members: Central of Custody and Financial Settlement of Securities of Brazil, Taiwan Securities Association of Chinese Taipei, Multi-Commodity Exchange of India, and Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange of the United Arab Emirates.

It also announced two new signatories to its Memorandum of Understanding, which seeks improved enforcement related cooperation and the exchange of information among regulators. There are currently 48 IOSCO members who have signed the MOU and during the conference Thailand was welcomed as a full signatory. El Salvador became a signatory to Appendix B, which is one step down from full signatory status. IOSCO is committed to having all members signed up to the MOU, or committed to signing it through listing of Appendix B, by 2010.

Canadian regulators were active the IOSCO conference, with British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec participating.

The IOSCO Technical Committee (TC) finalized two important reports prepared by two TC task forces on which the Quebec Autorite des marches financiers and the Ontario Securities Commission actively participated. The first report relates to the credit market crisis and focuses on the market for structured finance products, and the specific areas where failings were identified. The report recommends future work by IOSCO and its standing committees. The second report concerns credit rating agencies (CRAs) and implements changes to the IOSCO Code of Conduct Fundamentals for CRAs.

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) intends to consider these reports in developing any recommendations for changes to the Canadian securities regulatory regime that may be appropriate as a result of the credit crisis.

IOSCO’s next annual meeting will be held in Tel Aviv, and in 2010, it is coming to Montreal.