Bank WIR announces management change for 2025
The Board of Directors of Bank WIR has elected Matthias Pfeifer (42) as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The decision was made with foresight: Pfeifer will take over the management of the bank from Bruno Stiegeler (59) on March 1, 2025.
"This change, which was communicated early on, is the result of sustainable planning at Bank WIR," says a delighted Marc Reimann, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "This once again underlines the predictability and stability of the bank."
Stiegeler has played a key role in shaping Bank WIR over the past decade. "He can hand over a modern and financially sound bank to his successor," says Reimann, looking to the future. The Chairman of the Board of Directors is very happy with the CEO succession from within his own ranks: "Matthias Pfeifer is an experienced leader who successfully combines strategic thinking with a constant customer focus."
Stiegeler joined Bank WIR in 2013 - initially as Deputy CEO and since June 2019 as Chairman of the Executive Board. His tenure stands for strong growth: "The bank's total assets have increased by around two billion Swiss francs over the past decade," says Stiegeler, who announced a capital increase for 2024 against this backdrop. "From a position of strength", he adds.
Stiegeler was also a driving force behind the modernization of Bank WIR's cooperative structure. The number of cooperative members has more than doubled since the amendment to the Articles of Association adopted at the 2022 Annual General Meeting (opening up the bank to all customers).
Stiegeler's designated successor is the current Head of Private and Corporate Clients: Pfeifer, already Deputy CEO since the beginning of this year, moved from UBS to Bank WIR in June 2019. The 42-year-old has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's degree in Corporate Finance CFO and Digital Business. He has already made a significant contribution to the bank's strong development in recent years. In particular, he is responsible for the further development of sales and has consistently driven forward the topics of customer focus, digitalization and innovation. "The focus is always on creating added value for customers - both SMEs and private individuals," says Pfeifer.
In recent months, Bank WIR has repeatedly demonstrated the aforementioned "added customer value" by, among other things, quickly and consistently passing on the interest rate hikes by the Swiss National Bank (SNB). It currently offers the best savings conditions in Switzerland with its "Savings account plus 2024" with an interest rate of 1.8 percent - up to an interest limit of CHF 500,000.
Source: www.wir.ch
