Christiane Laibach, who has been a member of the Executive Board at KfW Group responsible for international financing, will retire on 31 July 2026 after 36 years with the organization. The decision was discussed and agreed upon during a meeting of the relevant committee of the KfW Board of Supervisory Directors. The process to designate her successor is already in progress.
Laibach began her career at KfW Group in 1990 as a graduate trainee and was appointed to the Executive Board on 1 June 2021. During her tenure, she oversaw development cooperation as well as export and project finance. She also served as Chair of the Board of Supervisory Directors at KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH in Frankfurt am Main and was first Deputy Chair at DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH in Cologne.
Some significant milestones in Laibach’s career include supporting the spin-off of KfW IPEX-Bank in 2008, which has since become a leading institution for international project and export finance focused on European and German companies. In her roles at DEG, including CEO, she contributed to realigning DEG into an institution that supports private sector sustainable investments in developing countries and emerging economies.
Recently, Laibach led the strategic restructuring of Financial Cooperation at KfW to address current geopolitical challenges. This work aimed to better align economic and social development efforts in developing countries with European and German interests.
Reflecting on her decision, Christiane Laibach stated: "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, commented: "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 is available for download.