Erste Group’s AGM approves dividend and elects three new Supervisory Board members

Supervisory Board strengthened with broader international expertise

Alongside the re-election of Christine Catasta and Christiane Tusek, shareholders elected Dorota Snarska‑Kuman, Roeland Louwhoff and Jernej Omahen – all of whom bring extensive international experience – as new members of the Supervisory Board. Including the employee-appointed representatives, the Supervisory Board will now consist of nine women and eleven men.

“The acquisition in Poland has fundamentally transformed Erste Group. A Supervisory Board with broad professional experience and deep regional expertise will help us leverage the new scale of our European group for the long-term benefit of the region we serve,” said Gottfried Haber, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Erste Group.

Shareholders approve dividend nearly unanimously

With the dividend of 0.75 euros per share approved today, Erste Group will distribute a total of 307.9 million euros of its 2025 profit to shareholders. After deducting AT1 dividends, this corresponds to a payout ratio of 9.1% of the 2025 net profit. The distribution is therefore clearly within the dividend policy communicated in May 2025 in connection with Erste Group’s acquisition in Poland; that policy provides for a temporary cap of 10% to ensure full equity financing of the transaction. The dividend will be paid out, net of statutory withholding tax, on 24 April 2026.

“The acquisition in Poland in 2025 is a consistent step in the execution of our growth strategy and reinforces our role as the leading banking group in Central Europe. Our international business model is a decisive success factor for Austria, particularly in economically challenging times”, said Peter Bosek, CEO of Erste Group.

AGM also confirms all other resolutions

All other proposed resolutions were also approved by shareholders. These included, among others, the election of a new additional auditor and an additional auditor for the consolidated sustainability reporting, the approval of the remuneration report for the Management Board and Supervisory Board for the 2025 financial year, the authorization to issue convertible bonds, the cancellation and renewed creation of authorized capital, and the authorization for the Management Board to repurchase own shares for the purpose of securities trading.

Detailed information on the Annual General Meeting, including voting results and the biographies of Supervisory Board members, is available at: 

https://www.erstegroup.com/en/investors/events/agm/agm2026 

Biographies of the newly elected Supervisory Board members

Dorota Snarska-Kuman brings more than three decades of experience in auditing and advising financial institutions and is a recognized expert in international accounting standards, financial reporting, and audit, governance and regulatory matters. Her deep understanding of highly regulated financial markets will further strengthen the Supervisory Board’s work, particularly in matters of financial transparency and the effectiveness of internal control systems. A native of Poland, Snarska-Kuman previously served as a Partner at Deloitte Polska, where she led the Audit & Assurance team for financial institutions, and was a member of the Board of Directors of Deloitte Central Europe.

Roeland Louwhoff has more than 30 years of international leadership experience in globally operating companies. As a proven expert in digital transformation and operational excellence, he will support the Supervisory Board in driving the technological advancement of Erste Group and in overseeing the continuous enhancement of the digital customer experience. Louwhoff, who is a Dutch national, previously held senior roles at Standard Chartered Bank and ING Bank.

Jernej Omahen brings over two decades of experience in the European financial sector and is regarded as one of the most distinguished analysts covering banks and financial institutions. As a longstanding Partner at Goldman Sachs, where he was also responsible for European banks research, he contributes deep capital markets expertise and thus strengthens the Supervisory Board’s ability to further enhance Erste Group’s strategic positioning in the capital markets. A native of Slovenia, Omahen began his career at Goldman Sachs and has served as a Senior Adviser at Oliver Wyman since 2023.