Slawomir Krupa, Chief Executive Officer of Société Générale, was elected President of the European Banking Federation in March 2025, adding a prominent industry leadership role to his executive responsibilities at the French banking group. The appointment places one of Europe's most closely watched banking chief executives at the helm of the continent's principal banking industry body, a position that carries significant weight in Brussels and Frankfurt at a time of active regulatory debate.
Krupa has led Société Générale since May 2023, when he succeeded Frédéric Oudéa following a leadership transition that had been anticipated for some time. His tenure at the bank has coincided with a period of meaningful strategic review, encompassing asset disposals and a sharpened focus on the group's core franchises in France and its international corporate and investment banking operations. The EBF presidency adds an external dimension to his public profile as a major European banking leader.
THE EUROPEAN BANKING FEDERATION'S ROLE
The European Banking Federation represents banking associations across 32 European countries, serving as the principal voice of the European banking sector in dialogue with European Union institutions, regulators and policymakers. The EBF engages with the European Commission, the European Parliament and supervisors including the European Central Bank on legislative and regulatory matters that shape the operating environment for banks across the continent.
The position of EBF President is typically held by a serving chief executive of a major European bank, giving the organisation direct access to the perspectives and priorities of bank leadership at the highest level. Krupa's election reflects both the standing of Société Générale within the European banking landscape and the confidence of member banking associations that he can effectively represent the sector's interests. The role requires engagement with policymakers on complex dossiers where the industry's views need to be articulated with authority and precision.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR EU BANKING POLICY
Krupa's assumption of the EBF presidency comes at a moment when European banking regulation is in active flux. The implementation of Basel IV standards through the Capital Requirements Regulation 3, ongoing discussions around the European Deposit Insurance Scheme, the trajectory of ECB supervisory expectations and the EU's capital markets union agenda are among the significant dossiers on which the federation actively engages with policymakers. Having a sitting CEO of a major universal bank in the presidency role brings real-time industry insight to those conversations.
Société Générale operates across retail banking in France, corporate and investment banking across global markets, and a range of financial services including insurance and equipment financing. Krupa's dual responsibilities at the bank and the federation underscore the expectation in European financial services that senior executives engage not only with their own institutions but with the broader policy and regulatory environment in which they operate. As EBF President, Krupa will be expected to build consensus across member associations representing a wide range of European banking systems — from large universal banks to regional savings institutions — and to present coherent industry positions to regulators and legislators navigating a complex phase of financial sector reform at a moment when the outcomes of key legislative processes will shape the competitive landscape of European banking for years to come.