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Erste Bank Oesterreich strengthens customer focus with new Management Board team

Erste Bank Oesterreich has reorganized its Management Board team as of July 1, 2024. Maximilian Clary und Aldringen  has become the new board member responsible for Retail Customers, while Ilinka Kajgana has joined the board with responsibility for Risk and Operations matters. Gerda Holzinger-Burgstaller has taken on the CFO function in addition to her existing role as CEO. Hans Unterdorfer remains the bank’s Chief Corporates Officer. Willi Cernko has joined the Supervisory Board of Erste Bank Oesterreich.

"I am delighted that with these two new appointments, we have put together a strong and ambitious management board team for Erste Bank Oesterreich and that talented individuals from within our own ranks have once again proven to be the best candidates. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Stefan Dörfler and Alexandra Habeler-Drabek, who have done so much for Erste Bank Oesterreich as board members. However, the reduction in the number of board members in Erste Group and the changes associated with that development have made it necessary for them to concentrate fully on their board roles at Erste Group. These changes will strengthen the roles and effectiveness of both management board teams," explains Friedrich Rödler, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Erste Bank Oesterreich.

Until the changes announced today, Alexandra Habeler-Drabek (CRO) and Stefan Dörfler (CFO) had performed their roles in dual functions for both Erste Group and its Austrian banking subsidiary Erste Bank Oesterreich. Both will now concentrate fully on their management board functions in Erste Group. Also as of today, Willi Cernko has handed over the CEO function at Erste Group to Peter Bosek and has joined the Supervisory Board of Erste Bank Oesterreich.

"We see great potential in Austria, which requires the Management Board to place an even stronger focus on customers. With Max Clary und Aldringen, we now have a second customer business-focused board member on our team, one who will drive forward the further development of the retail banking segment. Ilinka Kajgana knows the Austrian market very well and I am delighted that she is returning to Austria after several years in the CEE region," says Gerda Holzinger-Burgstaller, CEO of Erste Bank Oesterreich.

 

The new Erste Bank Oesterreich board members 

Ilinka Kajgana (52), who as Risk Executive Vice President had been a board member of Erste Group’s Romanian banking subsidiary Banca Comercială Română (BCR) since 2020, takes on responsibility for Risk and Operations. The native Croatian was Head of Strategic Risk Management at Erste Bank Oesterreich before taking on her role at BCR. Prior to that, she held various risk management positions at Erste Group. Kajgana holds a PhD in Physics from the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and launched her banking career at Erste Bank Oesterreich.

Maximilian Clary und Aldringen (43) will focus on further strengthening customer growth at Erste Bank Oesterreich and expanding sales opportunities in the private customer segment. He was most recently Head of Private Banking & Wealth Management at both Erste Group and Erste Bank Oesterreich. He has been with Erste Group since 2013 and has held various strategic positions within the banking group. A graduate in business administration, Clary und Aldringen started his banking career at Raiffeisen.

At a glance: the Erste Bank Oesterreich Management Board as of 1 July 2024

  • Gerda Holzinger-Burgstaller: CEO and Chief Financial Officer
  • Hans Unterdorfer: Chief Corporates Officer
  • Maximilian Clary und Aldringen: Chief Retail Officer
  • Ilinka Kajgana: Chief Risk Officer and Chief Operating Officer (starting 1 August 2024)