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Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board of Aareal Bank AG is composed of eight shareholder representatives and four employee representatives. Two shareholder representatives were elected by the Annual General Meeting in 2020. At the Annual General Meeting on 31 August 2022, six shareholder representatives were elected. The term of one shareholder representatives will expire in 2023, of three other shareholder representatives in 2024 and of five other shareholder representatives in 2026. The term of the employee representatives will expire at the end of the Annual General Meeting in 2025. Therefore, the Supervisory Board has ensured a regular opportunity to refresh its composition, if necessary.
Prof. Dr Hermann Wagner (Chairman of the Supervisory Board)
| Date of birth: | 4 July 1956 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| First appointment: | 2015 |
| Terms served: | 2nd term (2020 – 2024) |
| Committees: | Executive and Nomination Committee (Chairman) Audit Committee (Chairman) Remuneration Control Committee (Chairman) Risk Committee |
| Expertise: | Accounting and corporate reporting, auditing, assessing the effectiveness of internal control and risk management systems, including in the accounting process, assessing the effectiveness of the governance framework |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2021 | Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Aareal Bank AG, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Since 2008 | Auditor and tax advisor, holds several supervisory board mandates |
| Since 2008 | Professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Germany |
| 2002 – 2008 | Partner, Global Financial Services and other management functions, Ernst & Young, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| 1999 – 2001 | Regional Managing Partner Frankfurt and Managing Partner Financial Services Germany, Arthur Andersen GmbH |
| 1998 – 1999 | Branch manager Frankfurt, KPMG Deutsche Treuhand-Gesellschaft AG, Germany |
| 1992 – 1997 | Partner, KPMG Peat Marwick Treuhand GmbH and the subsequent KPMG Deutsche Treuhand-Gesellschaft AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| 1983 – 1991 | Bank auditor at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., from 1988 with power of attorney |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Chartered accountant | |
| Accredited tax advisor | |
| PhD in Economics | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| Squadra Immobilien GmbH & Co. KGaA, member of the Supervisory Board | |
| PEH Wertpapier AG (publicly listed), member of the Supervisory Board | |
| capsensixx AG, subsidiary of PEH Wertpapier AG (publicly listed), member of the Supervisory Board* | |
| *PEH Wertpapier AG and capsensixx AG belong to the same group of institutions, both directorships are therefore considered to be one acc. to Sec. 25 (3) sentence 3 no. 1 of the KWG. | |
José Sevilla Álvarez
| Date of birth: | 17 August 1964 |
| Nationality: | Spanish |
| Residence: | Madrid, Spain |
| First appointment: | 2022 |
| Terms served: | 1st term (2022 – 2026) |
| Committees: | Audit Committee (Deputy Chairman) Executive and Nomination Committee Technology and Innovation Committee |
| Expertise: | Banking, Risk Management, accounting, auditing, Corporate Governance, M&A, strategic planning |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| 2012-2021 | Chief Executive Officer of Bankia, Chair of its Risk Committee and Board Member at BFA Tenedora de Acciones SAU, Madrid, Spain |
| 1997-2009 | Member of the Management Committee of BBVA Group, Spain, and Board Member at BBVA Bancomer, BBVA, Mexico |
| 1995-1997 | Senior Equity Analyst of European banks, Merrill Lynch |
| 1989-1995 | Analyst of Spanish Banks and Head of the Equity Analysis department, FG Inversiones Bursátiles |
| 1988-1989 | Junior Auditor, Arthur Andersen |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Degree in Economics and Business Administration, CUNEF Madrid, Spain | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| Renta 4 Banco, Madrid, Spain, Non-Executive Director of the Board of Directors | |
| Teide Ltd., Singapore, Non-Executive Director of the Board of Directors | |
Sylwia Bach (Employee Representative)
| Date of Birth | 14 December 1970 |
| Nationality: | German, Polish |
| Residence: | Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Initial appointment: | 2023 |
| Current term: | 1st term (2023 – 2025) |
| Committee memberships: | Technology and Innovation Committee |
| Expertise: | ERP, digitalisation (with a particular focus on SAP system), Aareon’s business and products, business process analysis |
| Career milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2023 | Customer support team lead at Aareon Deutschland GmbH, Mainz, Germany |
| 2019 – 2023 | SAP/BE team lead at Aareon Deutschland GmbH’s Competence Center, Mainz, Germany |
| 2014 – 2022 | Works council member and member of the Economic Committee (until 2018 substitute member) at Aareon Deutschland GmbH, Mainz, Germany; Group works council member at Aareon AG, Mainz, Germany |
| 2001 – 2019 | Second-level SAP support agent at Aareon Deutschland GmbH, Mainz, Germany |
| 1999 – 2001 | Employee in the New Business Areas / International division at Aareon Deutschland GmbH, Mainz, Germany |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Project management expert (GPM/RKW certification) | |
| Diploma/Master’s degree in Economics with a particular focus on administration and marketing, Poznań University of Economics and Business, Poland | |
| Other memberships of comparable statutory domestic or foreign supervisory bodies pursuant to section 125 (1) sentence 5 of the AktG. | |
|---|---|
| None | |
Henning Giesecke
| Date of birth: | 6 May 1960 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Zell, Munich district, Germany |
| First appointment: | 2022 |
| Terms served: | 1st term (2022 – 2026) |
| Committees: | Audit Committee Risk Committee Remuneration Control Committee |
| Expertise: | Risk management, banking business, real estate financing, corporate governance, strategic planning, accounting, auditing |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2009 | Holds several other mandates |
| 2006–2009 | Member of the Management Board and Group Chief Risk Officer, UniCredit S.p.A, Milano, Italy and UniCredit Bank AG, Munich, Germany |
| 2004–2006 | Chief Credit Risk Officer and Divisional Board Member, HypoVereinsbank AG, Munich, Germany |
| 2000–2004 | Group Head Restructuring and Workout, HypoVereinsbank AG, Munich, Germany |
| 1985–2000 | Different positions in Risk Management and Corporates, HypoVereinsbank AG, Munich, Germany |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Business Administration (Diplom-Kaufmann), Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| The Social Chain AG, Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board | |
| Erste Abwicklungsanstalt AöR, Member of the Board of Directors | |
| Additional positions on governing bodies of other organisations | |
|---|---|
| Airbus Bank GmbH, Member of Supervisory Board | |
Denis Hall
| Date of birth: | 9 November 1955 |
| Nationality: | British |
| Residence: | Chalfont St Giles, United Kingdom |
| First appointment: | 2022 |
| Terms served: | 1st term (2022 – 2024) |
| Committees: | Risk Committee (Deputy Chairman) Technology and Innovation Committee Remuneration Control Committee |
| Expertise: | Banking, Risk Management, M&A, Technology/IT Security, ESG |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2016 | Holds several other mandates |
| 2007-2016 | Chief Risk Officer, Global Consumer Banking, GE Capital |
| 2001-2007 | Chief Risk Officer, Private and Business Clients (“PBC”), Deutsche Bank |
| 1985-2001 | Several positions, e.g. UK Diners business; Credit Officer for visa card businesses in Belgium, Spain, Germany and Greece; Credit Director for the German cards business; Business Manager for the operations company; Management Board Member for Risk, HR and Operations, Citibank |
| 1978-1985 | Several positions, Welbeck Finance |
| 1974-1978 | Junior Clerk, Barclays Bank, Northampton, United Kingdom |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Banker’s examinations, Barclays Bank | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| Auxmoney Europe Holdings Ltd., Ireland/Germany, non-executive Member of the Board of Directors | |
| Moneta Money Bank A.S., Prag, Czech Republic, Member of the Supervisory Board | |
| Skipton Building Society, Skipton, United Kingdom, non-executive Member of the Board of Directors | |
Petra Heinemann-Specht (Employee Representative)
| Date of birth: | 26 January 1968 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Groß-Gerau district in Germany |
| First appointment: | 2018 |
| Terms served: | 2nd term (2020 - 2025) |
| Committees: | Risk Committee Audit Committee Remuneration Control Committee |
| Expertise: | Loan portfolio administration and management, including problem loans and intensive management, risk classification, legal and regulatory requirements for banking, settlement of securitisation transactions |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2022 | Chairwoman of the General Works Council at Aareal Bank AG, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Since 2018 | Full-time Works Council member and member of the Economic Committee at Aareal Bank AG, and member of the Group Works Council at Aareal Bank Group, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| 2018 – 2022 | Member of the General Works Council at Aareal Bank AG, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| 1999 – 2018 | Various positions at Aareal Bank AG, including Credit Management and Loan Syndication and Securitisation, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| 1999 | Attorney at Joachim Lederle law firm |
| 1998 | Attorney and specialised commercial lawyer for Sparkasse Bodenwerder |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Legal studies and traineeship (First and Second State Examination in law) | |
| Apprenticeship as a qualified banker | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| None | |
Barbara Antonia Knoflach (Deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board)
| Date of birth: | 23 May 1965 |
| Nationality: | Austrian |
| Residence: | Hofheim a.Ts., Germany |
| First appointment: | 2022 |
| Terms served: | 1st term (2022 – 2026) |
| Committees: | Executive and Nomination Committee (Deputy Chairwoman) Technology and Innovation Committee (Deputy Chairwoman) Risk Committee |
| Expertise: | Banking, strategic planning, Real Estate, IT/digitalisation, M&A, ESG |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2020 | Founder and Managing Director of LifeWorkSpace, a consulting and private investment company focused on innovative and sustainable strategies in the Real Estate industry |
| 2015-2020 | Global Head, BNP Paribas Real Estate Investment Management (REIM) and Deputy CEO, BNP Paribas Real Estate S.A., Paris, France |
| 2005-2015 | Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SEB Asset Management AG and Managing Director, SEB Investment GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 1999-2005 | Managing Director of SEB Immobilien-Investment GmbH (merged into SEB Investment GmbH) |
| 1994-1998 | Deputy Head Structured Finance, BfG Bank AG, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 1986-1993 | i.e. Analyst International Project Finance, Deutsche Bank AG, Frankfurt, Germany |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Graduation in Economics with focus on Computer Science (Diploma Business Economist), University of Applied Sciences, Mainz, Germany | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| Landmarken AG, Aachen, Germany, Member of the Supervisory Board | |
| Swiss Prime Site AG, Olten, Switzerland, Member of the Board of Independent Directors | |
| CTP N.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors | |
| Additional positions on governing bodies of other organisations | |
|---|---|
| ULI Germany Advisory Board, Member | |
| FRICS, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Member | |
| Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss e.V. (ZIA), Berlin, Germany, Member of the Presidium | |
| Urban Land Institute (ULI), Trustee | |
| International Real Estate Business School (IREBS), Regensburg University, Regensburg, Germany, Chairwoman of the Advisory Board | |
Jan Lehmann (Employee Representative)
| Date of birth: | 17 May 1973 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Mainz, Germany |
| First appointment: | 2020 |
| Terms served: | 1st term (2020 - 2025) |
| Committees: | Technology and Innovation Committee |
| Expertise: | ERP, digitalisation issues (especially SAP and GES systems), Aareon's business and products, business process analysis, accounting |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2022 | Full-time Works Council member and Chairman of the Works Council at Aareon Deutschland GmbH, and of the General Works Council at Aareon Group, Mainz, Germany |
| Since 2010 | Member of the Works Council at Aareon Deutschland GmbH, Mainz, Germany |
| Since 1999 | SAP 2nd Level Support FI/CO/KIM at Aareon Deutschland GmbH's SAP/BE Competence Center, Mainz, Germany |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Certified Project Management Associate Level D (GPM) | |
| International Accountant | |
| Business Administration, Leipzig University, Germany | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| None | |
| Additional positions on governing bodies of other organisations | |
|---|---|
| Aareon Deutschland GmbH, Aareal Bank Group company, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board | |
Hans-Hermann Lotter
| Date of birth: | 29 December 1964 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Como, Italy |
| First appointment: | 2022 |
| Terms served: | 1st term (2022 – 2024) |
| Committees: | Renumeration Control Committee (Deputy Chairman) Executive and Nomination Committee Audit Committee |
| Expertise: | Banking, Governance, international M&A and Joint Venture, strategic planning, auditing |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2009 | Holds several other mandates in investment companies of Advent International, especially in Atlantic BidCo GmbH, in the past i.e. in Supervisory Boards of Addiko Bank AG, Concardis Payment Group GmbH, GFKL Financial Services AG, as well as a consultant of Private-Equity-Investments, mergers and takeovers as well as restructuring |
| 2014-2015 | Member of the Board, responsible for Treasury, Legal and Corporate Development, interim management to support stabilisation of the bank, Gorenjska banka d.d., Kranj, Slovenia |
| 2006-2009 | Co-Head Mergers & Acquisitions, Head of Financial Institutions Group Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Rothschild GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 2003-2006 | Managing Director, Head of Financial Institutions and “Geschäftsführer”, Lazard & Co. GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 1992-2003 | Various positions at Deutsche Bank AG, Frankfurt, Germany, Singapore and London, England: Director, Global Corporate Finance – FIG; Managing Director, Corporate Development; Director, Head of Strategic Planning Asia Pacific; Divisional Director, Corporate Development |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Master of Business Administration, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA | |
| Dipl.-Math. oec., Master (“Diplom”) degree in Mathematical Economics (“Wirtschaftsmathematik”), University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| Hermes Germany GmbH, Member of the Supervisory Board, Hamburg, Germany | |
| TK Elevator GmbH*, Dusseldorf/Essen, Germany, Chairman of the Supersivory Board | |
| Vertical Topco S.à.r.l., Luxembourg, Member of the Board of Directors *Subsidiary company of Vertical Topco S.à. r.l. | |
Marika Lulay (Chairwoman of the Technology and Innovation Committee)
| Date of birth: | 16 November 1962 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Heppenheim, Germany |
| First appointment: | 2022 |
| Terms served: | 1st term (2022 – 2026) |
| Committees: | Technology and Innovation Committee (Chairman) Executive and Nomination Committee |
| Expertise: | Corporate governance, strategic planning, business and corporate development, M&A, digitalisation, technology, IT, ESG |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2017 | Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Executive Director and Member of the Board of Directors (Verwaltungsrat), GFT Technologies SE, Stuttgart, Germany |
| 2015-2017 | Chief Operating Officer (COO), Executive Director and Member of the Board of Directors (Verwaltungsrat), GFT Technologies SE, Stuttgart, Germany |
| 2002-2015 | Chief Operating Officer (COO, Member of the Management Board, GFT Technologies SE, Stuttgart, Germany |
| 1996-2002 | Vice President Region Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Benelux and Scandinavia, Cambridge Technology Partners, Inc. Europa, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 1990-1996 | Head of Professional Services, Business Unit Central & Eastern Germany, Project Manager Software AG, Darmstadt, Germany |
| 1989-1990 | Management Consultant, Diebold Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany |
| 1987-1989 | Co-Founder / Software Architect, BISTEC GmbH / BAUSOFT GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Computer Science, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (Diplom-Informatikerin) | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| EnBW AG, Member of the Supervisory Board | |
| GFT Technologies, Member of the Board of Directors | |
| Additional positions on governing bodies of other organisations | |
|---|---|
| LBBW AG, Member of the Advisory Board | |
| Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Deputy Chairwoman of the University Council | |
Klaus Novatius (Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Employee Representative)
| Date of birth: | 10 February 1967 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Rhein-Lahn district in Germany |
| First appointment: | 2019 |
| Terms served: | 2nd term (2020 - 2025) |
| Committees: | Executive and Nomination Committee Remuneration Control Committee |
| Expertise: | Property financing and risk management systems of credit institutions |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2022 | Deputy Chairman of the General Works Council at Aareal Bank AG, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Since 2018 | Chairman of the Group Works Council at Aareal Bank Group, and Chairman of the Works Council at Aareal Bank AG, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| 2018 - 2022 | Chairman of the General Works Council at Aareal Bank AG, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Since 2013 | Full-time Works Council member, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Since 1983 | Aareal Bank AG and its legal predecessor in various Credit Management positions, Wiesbaden, Germany |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Certified banking specialist (Diplom-Bankfachwirt) | |
| Vocational training as a banker | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| None | |
Sylvia Seignette (Chairwoman of the Risk Committee)
| Date of birth: | 6 July 1950 |
| Nationality: | German |
| Residence: | Main-Kinzig district, Germany |
| First appointment: | 2015 |
| Terms served: | 2nd term (2020 – 2023) |
| Committees: | Risk Committee (Chairman) Audit Committee |
| Expertise: | Strategic planning, structured finance, financial markets, M&A investments, risk management and the assessment and design of risk management systems for lending institutions, including suitable remuneration systems, implementation and monitoring of risk classification procedures, accounting and corporate reporting |
| Professional milestones | |
|---|---|
| Since 2013 | Holds several other mandates |
| 2005 – 2013 | Chairman of the Board at Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank und Group Senior Country Officer at the Credit Agricole Group in Germany and Austria with affiliated companies such as Amundi, Caceis, CreditPlus and Eurofactor with a focus on corporate financing, capital markets, structured finance and M&A, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| 2002 – 2005 | Managing Director at Bank of America for Germany, Switzerland and Austria with responsibility for Corporate and Investment Banking, Structured Finance, Equity Linked Products, M&A, Leasing, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| 1989 – 2002 | Member of the Management Board at JP Morgan AG in Germany and its predecessor banks with a focus on Corporate Customer and International Business, Corporate and Investment Banking, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
| 1978 – 1989 | Various management positions at JPM and its predecessors, i.a. Capital Markets, Structured Finance, Portfolio Management, Credit Analysis |
| Education | |
|---|---|
| Degree in wholesale and foreign trade | |
| Qualified banker | |
| Memberships in other statutory supervisory boards or similar domestic and international governing bodies according to Section 125 (1) Sentence 5 of the German Public Limited Companies Act | |
|---|---|
| None | |
| Supervisory Board Affiliation | |
| Name | Member of the supervisory board since |
| Prof Dr Hermann Wagner (Chairman of the Supervisory Board ) | 2015 |
| José Sevilla Álvarez | 2022 |
| Sylwia Bach | 2023 |
| Henning Giesecke | 2022 |
| Denis Hall | 2022 |
| Petra Heinemann-Specht | 2018 |
| Barbara Antonia Knoflach | 2022 |
| Jan Lehmann | 2020 |
| Hans-Hermann A. Lotter | 2022 |
| Marika Lulay | 2022 |
| Klaus Novatius | 2019 |
| Sylvia Seignette | 2015 |
