Executive Board of KfW: Christiane Laibach to retire on 31 July 2026

• 36 years at KfW Group – from graduate trainee to Executive Board member

Christiane Laibach (64), Member of the Executive Board responsible for international financing, will retire next year after 36 years at KfW Group.

The consensual resignation from office effective 31 July 2026 was discussed in the meeting of the relevant committee of the KfW Board of Supervisory Directors. The designation of a new member of the Executive Board for international financing is already underway.

Christiane Laibach was first appointed as a Member of the Executive Board of KfW Group on 1 June 2021. She has worked at KfW Group since 1990, where she started as a graduate trainee. As Member of the Board, responsible for development cooperation as well as for export and project finance, she is Chair of the Board of Supervisory Directors of KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH (KfW IPEX-Bank) in Frankfurt am Main and the first Deputy Chair of the Board of Supervisory Directors of DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) in Cologne.

Milestones in Christiane Laibach’s career include supporting the successful spin-off of KfW IPEX-Bank in 2008 and its development into one of the leading banks in international project and export finance. As a subsidiary of KfW, KfW IPEX-Bank specialises in the financing of European and German companies, projects and exports.

Christiane Laibach, in her former role as Member, Speaker and finally CEO at the Management Board of DEG, also drove forward the realignment of DEG to become one of the leading financial institutions that support private companies in sustainable investments in developing countries and emerging economies.

Most recently, Christiane Laibach as Executive Board Member of KfW was responsible for the strategic restructuring of Financial Cooperation in response to current geopolitical challenges, with the aim of aligning economic and social development in developing countries more closely with European and German interests.

Christiane Laibach: "After a long and successful career, I have decided to retire in summer of next year. I have exclusively worked for the international business sector and have enjoyed contributing to our good cause every day. I will miss my colleagues at KfW, DEG and KfW IPEX-Bank, and our customers and partners. I believe my area of responsibility is well positioned for the future, particularly in light of the current geopolitical challenges. At the same time, I am looking forward to this new phase of my life that lies ahead."

Stefan Wintels, Chief Executive Officer of KfW: "After 36 years at KfW Group, Christiane Laibach will step down from her position at her own request in the summer. She has worked in all international business areas and has an enormous wealth of experience. She will leave a very large gap. The KfW Executive Board wishes Christiane all the best for this new phase of her life. I would also like to thank her personally for the excellent cooperation, her tireless commitment, and the successful restructuring of Financial Cooperation, DEG and KfW IPEX-Bank."

A photo of Christiane Laibach for download is available here: Christiane Laibach.

Curriculum vitae of Christiane Laibach: View the CV of Christiane Laibach.