Erste Group: New management teams for brand, communications, and transformation
- Martin Radjaby-Rasset returns to Erste Group and launches Brand Innovation Lab in Prague
- Margarita Thiel takes responsibility for new business area Group Communications & Corporate Affairs
- Maria Bond heads the new Group Transformation Office
“With Maria Bond, Martin Radjaby-Rasset and Margarita Thiel, I am delighted to have gained internationally experienced top executives who will drive forward the strategic development of Erste Group in the core areas of transformation, innovation, brand and communications. In times of change, we as a bank want to make our contribution to securing and increasing prosperity in our markets. Transformation, a strong brand, and communications and stakeholder management are essential building blocks for this,” says Peter Bosek, CEO of Erste Group.
Erste Group is investing in brand and innovation. As a first step, a Brand Innovation Lab will be established in Prague to bolster the leading role that Erste Group and its subsidiary banks play with regard to brand and customer centricity. The Brand Innovation Lab, which will be set up by Martin Radjaby-Rasset, will ensure that Erste remains ahead of market developments and appeals to and retains new generations of customers.
Merging Group Communications with Corporate Affairs & Stakeholder Management under Margarita Thiel will ensure consistent messaging towards all relevant stakeholders and further strengthen the importance of Erste's role in the European discourse. Sebastian Rehse will continue to drive Erste’s stakeholder communication and be responsible for supporting the dialogue with legislative stakeholders in Austria and Brussels. Christian Hromatka will continue to be responsible for communications and will remain Group Spokesperson, together with Margarita Thiel.
Nina Pentek, who had previously been responsible for Group Brands & Communications in addition to her role as Head of Marketing at Erste Bank Croatia, will return to Erste Bank Croatia in January and once again devote herself fully to her role as Head of Marketing at Erste Group’s Croatian subsidiary.
Erste Group’s newly created Transformation Office, which is being developed under the leadership of Maria Bond since July 2024, will centrally drive transformation throughout the Group.
Brief biographies
Maria Bond has been running Erste Group’s new Transformation Office since July 1, 2024. Prior to that, Bond worked at Ernst & Young, where she successfully supported countless companies in their transformation processes. She has worked for international corporations and gathered professional experience in London, New York, and Melbourne.
Margarita Thiel will be heading the new business area Group Corporate Communications, Corporate Affairs & Stakeholder Management from January 1, 2025. Thiel, who has extensive international experience in banking and finance, is currently Head of Group Communications and Governmental Affairs at Aareal Bank. She was previously responsible for Group Communications at Commerzbank in Frankfurt and has worked in London and Madrid.
Martin Radjaby-Rasset will return to Erste Group on January 1, 2025 and will set up the Brand Innovation Lab in Prague and head the business area Group Brand & Innovation. Radjaby was already Head of Strategic Marketing Management at Erste Group between 2017-2020 before leaving the bank to set up his own consultancy. Previously, the brand strategist was Managing Director at the creative agency Jung von Matt/Donau.