Wimmer, from CEO at BCR to CFO of Erste Group

Manfred Wimmer, 52, former interim CEO of the BCR, has become a member of Erste Bank’s executive board, taking over as chief financial officer (CFO) and chief performance officer (CPO), which means he is in charge of the finances and the operating performance of Erste Group. Over the summer, the two positions were covered by Andreas Treichl, CEO of the Austrian bank.

“To start a CEO mandate for a major group like Erste is a challenge under the current market circumstances,” Wimmer told ZF. Although he has never held a position as a CFO, he believes he has the advantage of knowing the group’s member banks and the group as a whole “like the back of his hand”, given that he has been involved in most acquisitions and transformations which have occurred since Erste started expanding into the area, which culminated un BCR’s privatisation.