KfW Appoints New Board Member for IT, Operations, and Transaction Management

KfW Bankengruppe has appointed Dr. Susanne Maurenbrecher, 47, as a member of the executive board for a three-year term starting October 1, 2026. She will oversee the bank's Information Technology (IT), Operations, and Transaction Management divisions, also assuming the roles of Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Operations Officer (COO).

The appointment coincides with other leadership changes at KfW. Christiane Laibach, who has served the bank for 36 years, will retire on July 31, 2026. Brigitte Réthier will succeed her on July 15, taking over responsibilities for international development cooperation and the subsidiary Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG).

Maurenbrecher joined KfW in November 2023, previously heading the Corporate Development and Economics division. Her responsibilities included aligning strategic IT development with the bank's overall strategy and managing the IT change portfolio. Prior to KfW, she spent over a decade at McKinsey & Company, most recently as a partner, advising banks on strategy and transformation projects.

Laibach began her career at KfW as a trainee in 1990, progressing through various roles in the bank's international business. She was appointed to the management board of KfW IPEX-Bank in 2008 and also served as Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Since 2015, she was a member of DEG's management board, eventually becoming its CEO. She has been a member of KfW's executive board since June 2021, responsible for the entire group's international business.

With Maurenbrecher's appointment, KfW aims to strengthen its IT and operational capabilities to support the development of the German economy. Her strategic understanding is seen as crucial for the bank's future advancements.