Slawomir Krupa, chief executive of Société Générale, has been elected president of the European Banking Federation, the Brussels-based industry association that represents banking associations across 32 European countries. The election, which took place in March 2025, installs one of the eurozone's most prominent bank chief executives at the helm of the body that serves as the sector's principal lobbying and policy voice in Brussels, at a moment when several consequential pieces of banking legislation are moving through the EU's co-legislative process.
Krupa has led Société Générale since May 2023, when he succeeded Frédéric Oudéa after a lengthy internal succession process. Since taking the top job, he has overseen a significant strategic restructuring of the French bank, including the disposal of non-core assets and a sharpened focus on capital efficiency and profitability. His elevation to the EBF presidency gives him a platform to shape European banking's collective engagement with policymakers and regulators during a period of considerable policy activity.
EBF ROLE AT THE CENTRE OF EU REGULATORY DEBATE
The European Banking Federation coordinates the positions of its member associations on legislation and regulation emanating from the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Central Bank. Its current agenda spans some of the most consequential policy files in Brussels, including the final implementation of the Basel III capital framework in European law, progress on the Banking Union's deposit insurance dimension, and the development of a European savings and investments union. The EBF president serves as the industry's public spokesperson and attends high-level meetings with EU institutions and finance ministers.
Krupa's election reflects the weight that Société Générale carries in the European banking landscape. The bank is designated as a global systemically important institution under the Financial Stability Board's framework, with operations spanning retail banking in France and internationally, corporate and investment banking, and a range of financial services businesses. Its chief executive is therefore a natural candidate to lead an organisation whose credibility with policymakers depends in part on the standing and visibility of its figurehead.
BROADER INDUSTRY VOICE ACROSS 32 COUNTRIES
The EBF's membership spans the European Union and extends to countries outside the bloc, giving the federation a pan-European reach that goes beyond EU regulatory affairs alone. The 32-country footprint means the organisation engages with a diverse set of regulatory environments and banking models, from large universal banks in France, Germany, and Spain to specialist lenders and savings institutions in smaller Central and Eastern European markets. Coordinating a common industry position across this range of interests demands both diplomatic skill and deep familiarity with the regulatory priorities of member associations.
Krupa succeeds in the role having built a reputation as a direct and strategic communicator on regulatory and market structure matters since assuming the CEO position at Société Générale. The EBF said in a statement published on its website that he had been elected by member associations and would take up the presidency with immediate effect. His term is expected to coincide with a period of significant legislative activity in Brussels as the European Commission's new mandate unfolds and a range of financial services policy proposals advance through the institutions.