Erste Group names experienced international banker to lead corporate division across Central Europe

Erste Group names experienced international banker to lead corporate division across Central Europe

(IN BRIEF) Erste Group has appointed Juan de Porras Aguirre as Executive Director Corporates, bringing in a seasoned banking executive with over three decades of international experience. Previously with Santander Bank Polska, he played a key role in building a leading corporate and investment banking franchise. His appointment supports Erste Group’s strategy to strengthen its corporate banking operations across Central and Eastern Europe. The announcement also includes a planned reduction in the Holding Board size following the end of Ingo Bleier’s term, with responsibilities redistributed among existing leadership.

(PRESS RELEASE) WIEN, 9-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Erste Group Bank AG has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Juan de Porras Aguirre as Executive Director Corporates, a role he assumes immediately, reporting directly to CEO Peter Bosek. The move reflects the bank’s focus on expanding its corporate banking capabilities across Central and Eastern Europe.

De Porras brings more than 30 years of international banking experience to the role, most recently serving as Vice President at Santander Bank Polska, where he oversaw Corporate and Investment Banking, Wealth Management, and Insurance. During his tenure, he played a key role in developing the bank’s corporate and investment banking division into a leading franchise in Poland, strengthening its position across multiple asset classes.

His earlier career includes senior positions at Royal Bank of Scotland and Société Générale, where he focused on sectors such as energy and telecommunications while working across European markets. He began his professional journey at Commerzbank, specialising in credit risk, laying the foundation for his long-standing expertise in corporate banking.

Erste Group’s leadership sees the appointment as a strategic step in reinforcing its corporate business, which remains a core pillar of the organisation. CEO Peter Bosek highlighted de Porras’s track record in building strong corporate franchises and emphasised his potential to enhance collaboration across the Group’s regional markets, particularly as economic activity within Central Europe continues to grow.

For de Porras, the new role presents an opportunity to scale corporate banking operations across a region characterised by dynamic growth and increasing intra-regional business activity. He noted that Erste Group’s footprint provides a platform to further develop and expand services for corporate clients.

Alongside the appointment, Erste Group also confirmed upcoming changes to its Holding Board structure. Following the completion of Ingo Bleier’s term at the end of June 2026, the board will be reduced from five to four members. Responsibilities for corporates and markets at Holding Board level will be shared between Peter Bosek and Stefan Dörfler, reflecting a streamlined governance structure aligned with the Group’s operational model.

The leadership update underscores Erste Group’s intention to deepen its corporate banking expertise while adapting its governance framework to support continued growth across its core markets.

Media Contacts:

Erste Group | Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Am Belvedere 1, 1100 Wien
Margarita Thiel, 050100 – 13425
E-Mail: margarita.thiel@erstegroup.com

Marvin Aschinger, 050100 – 17689
E-Mail: marvin.aschinger@erstegroup.com

SOURCE: Erste Group