INTESA SANPAOLO BANK ALBANIA HOSTS INTERNATIONAL BANKS DIVISION MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING IN DURRËS

Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania hosted the Management Board Meeting of Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Banks Division (IBD) in Durrës from 15 to 17 September 2026, bringing together the Chief Executive Officers of Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Banks as well as the Division’s top management.

Held under the leadership of Paola Papanicolaou, Chief of Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Banks Division, the meeting provides an important opportunity to review the Division’s strategic priorities, share experiences across markets and further strengthen cooperation among the International Banks.

The discussions focused on the implementation of the Intesa Sanpaolo 2026–2029 Business Plan, with particular attention to sustainable growth, innovation, digital transformation, operational integration, and the continued evolution of the Group’s advisory model. The meeting also addressed opportunities to further strengthen support for households, businesses and local economies across the markets in which the International Banks Division operates.

Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Banks represent a strategic driver of the Group’s growth outside Italy. With a selective presence across Central and Eastern Europe and Egypt, the Division serves approximately 7.4 million customers in 12 countries, combining strong local expertise with the capabilities, financial strength and know-how of one of Europe’s leading banking groups.

Giuseppe Giampietro, Chief Executive Officer of Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania, said:

“It is a great privilege for Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania to welcome Paola Papanicolaou, Chief of International Banks Division, together with the Division’s top management, to Albania. Hosting this important meeting reflects the attention that our Group places on Albania and its development potential.

Albania is progressing through an important phase of economic transformation and closer European integration. As part of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to contribute to this journey by bringing together strong local knowledge and the international expertise of our Group. We want to continue supporting families, entrepreneurs and companies with financing, innovation and, increasingly, with the right advice to help them make well-informed long-term decisions.

Our ambition is to remain a trusted partner for Albania’s sustainable development while also helping to strengthen the economic and financial connections between Albania, Italy and the wider European market.”

The meeting in Durrës follows a series of initiatives aimed at further integrating the International Banks and accelerating the execution of the Group’s new Business Plan. Intesa Sanpaolo is increasingly leveraging common expertise, technology and advisory capabilities across its international network, while maintaining the strong local positioning and knowledge of each individual bank. Recent initiatives include the development of advanced advisory services and a new Financial Advisors network across International Banks, reinforcing the Group’s positioning around clear, responsible and tailored advice and long-term client relationships.

Supporting Albania’s sustainable development

Albania has recorded significant economic and institutional progress in recent years, supported by growing investment, increasing integration with European markets, development of infrastructure and a dynamic private sector. In this environment, a strong and resilient banking sector has an important role in channeling savings towards productive investment, supporting companies and accompanying households through changing financial needs.

Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania contributes to these priorities by combining its local presence with the resources and international expertise of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, supporting businesses in areas including investment, innovation, digitalization and the green transition.

In May 2026, the Bank signed a €20 million agreement with the European Investment Bank Group under the Innovation and Green Transformation Facility for the Western Balkans, providing financing to Albanian SMEs and Mid-Caps investing in innovation, digital transformation, energy efficiency and sustainable production. Albania was the first beneficiary country under the new regional initiative.

The Bank is also contributing to the evolution of Albania’s investment and savings market through the transfer of international expertise, innovative investment solutions and financial education, supporting the development of a more diversified, transparent and sustainable financial market.

Strengthening the longstanding partnership between Albania and Italy

The presence of the International Banks Division leadership in Albania also provided an opportunity to underline the close economic and institutional relationship between Albania and Italy.

During her visit, Paola Papanicolaou met with H.E. Marco Alberti, Ambassador of Italy to Albania, reaffirming the importance of the longstanding partnership between the two countries and the role that Italian institutions and businesses continue to play in supporting investment, sustainable economic development and Albania’s closer integration with the European economy.

The relationship between Italy and Albania extends well beyond commercial ties. It is built on strong historical, cultural and institutional connections and on a shared ambition to deepen economic cooperation and create new opportunities for businesses and communities in both countries. Italian institutions have also consistently expressed their support for Albania’s European integration and for stronger trade and investment relations between the two countries.

For the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, this relationship has particular significance. Through Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania, the Group brings together deep roots in the Albanian market and the strength and expertise of Italy’s leading banking group, contributing to the development of stronger economic connections between Albania, Italy and Europe.

The IBD Management Board Meeting in Durrës represents not only an important moment of strategic alignment for Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Banks, but also a further confirmation of the Group’s long-term commitment to Albania, its people, businesses and European development path.

Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Banks Division

Led by Paola Papanicolaou, the International Banks Division operates through commercial banks across 12 countries: Albania, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Egypt, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Moldova, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.

The Division serves approximately 7.4 million customers and plays an important role in the Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s international growth strategy, fostering increasing integration, innovation and collaboration across markets while preserving strong local expertise and proximity to clients.