EQS-News: ProCredit sets the course for a leadership transition early on

ProCredit sets the course for a leadership transition early on

• Eriola Bibolli is appointed the future Chairperson of the Management Board
• She is to assume the role as of 1 March 2026 from Hubert Spechtenhauser, after the regular end of his contract
• Hubert Spechtenhauser is to remain committed to the ProCredit group as a Supervisory Board member of the ProCredit banks after stepping down as Chairperson of the Management Board at the end of February 2026
   

Frankfurt am Main, April 4 2025 – The Supervisory Board of ProCredit Holding AG has appointed Eriola Bibolli (50) as the future Chairperson of the Management Board and as the successor of Hubert Spechtenhauser (62). In March 2024 and by request of the Supervisory Board, Mr Hubert Spechtenhauser had accepted the early extension of his appointment as Chairperson of the Management Board by a further year until the end of February 2026. Since then, the Supervisory Board’s Nomination Committee has been engaged in a structured search for nominees, both internally and externally, and has recommended Eriola Bibolli to the Supervisory Board as successor to Hubert Spechtenhauser. The Supervisory Board has followed this recommendation and has appointed Eriola Bibolli as Chairperson of the Management Board of ProCredit Holding AG, effective 1 March 2026.

Rainer Ottenstein, Chair of the Supervisory Board of ProCredit Holding, explained: “With Eriola Bibolli, we have found an ideal successor to lead ProCredit Holding. Ms Bibolli has been with the ProCredit group for over 20 years and has held a number of different management positions during this time, including serving as a member of the Management Board and General Manager (CEO) of our very successful bank in Kosovo and, since June 2023, as a member of the Management Board of ProCredit Holding. Owing to her many years of service in our organisation, she stands for the values of our impact-oriented banking group, knows our markets like no other and is well acquainted with our operations with both business and private clients.”

Eriola Bibolli stated: “I am grateful for the trust placed in me by the Supervisory Board. I am honoured and look forward to taking on the role of Chairperson of the Management Board at ProCredit Holding, the parent company of a banking group that stands for integrity, innovation and impact. Throughout its history, ProCredit has been more than just a financial institution – it has been a force for positive change, supporting businesses, driving sustainable growth and promoting financial inclusion. Looking ahead, we will focus on strengthening our market leadership in banking with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, while also developing our role as a trusted partner for private clients. In this time of rapid change, we will make use of digitalisation and innovation to improve the customer experience and operational efficiency and ensure that ProCredit stays one step ahead in meeting the evolving needs of our clients. Our employees are the heart of our success – they are the talented and committed team that drives our vision forward. I look forward to working with them to further build on our strong foundations, enhance our impact on the economies we serve and create long-term value for our shareholders. We are very committed to the execution of our business strategy and will continue to focus on achieving our mid-term strategic and financial objectives, which we have presented to the capital market one year ago.”

Hubert Spechtenhauser has been a member of the Management Board of ProCredit Holding AG since March 2022 and Chairperson of the Management Board since November 2022. Prior to joining the ProCredit group, his professional career included management positions within the UniCredit Group, the Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen (Helaba) Group and the Commerzbank Group. Eriola Bibolli joined the ProCredit group in 2001, was a member of the Management Board of ProCredit Bank Kosovo from 2007 to 2019 and served as its General Manager (CEO) from 2019 to 2023. She has been a member of the Management Board of ProCredit Holding AG since June 2023 and is currently responsible for all client-related areas of business.

 

Contact:

Petra Vielhaber, Group Communications, ProCredit Holding, Tel.: +49 69 951 437 249,
E-mail: petra.vielhaber@procredit-group.com

About ProCredit Holding AG

ProCredit Holding AG, based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, is the parent company of the development-oriented ProCredit group, which consists of commercial banks for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as private individuals, fostering economic, ecological and social development. The operational focus of the group is on South Eastern and Eastern Europe. In addition to this regional focus, the ProCredit group is also active in South America and Germany. The company’s shares are traded on the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The main shareholders of ProCredit Holding AG include Zeitinger Invest GmbH, KfW, the Dutch DOEN Participaties BV, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and ProCredit Staff Invest GmbH & Co. KG. As the group’s superordinated company according to the German Banking Act and as the parent financial holding company of the ProCredit financial holding group, ProCredit Holding AG is supervised on a consolidated level by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, BaFin) and the German Bundesbank. For additional information, visit: https://www.procredit-holding.com/

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains statements relating to future business development and/or future financial performance and/or future actions and/or developments affecting ProCreditHolding (forward-looking statements). Such forward-looking statements are based on the Management of ProCredit Holding’s current expectations and specific assumptions, which are partly beyond the control of ProCreditHolding. The forward-looking statements are therefore subject to a multitude of uncertainties. Should one or more of these uncertainties materialise, or should underlying expectations or assumptions prove inapplicable, then the actual conditions (both negative and positive) may differ significantly from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statement. Beyond mandatory legal requirements, ProCredit Holding does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements or to correct them.