Our team reflects the diversity of Europe. Together with an international group of experts in various fields, we develop concepts and solutions for the future.
MANAGING BOARD
CEO
Deputy CEO and CFO
Member of the Board
Member of the Board
SUPERVISORY BOARD
Chairman
Deputy Chairman
TEAM
Officer Manager
Press Officer for the Managing Board and Supervisory Board
Project Manager European Policies and Ukraine
Director Social Finance, Sustainability and Innovation
Board Meeting Manager and Assistant to the Managing Board
Head of ERSTE Foundation Library
Social Impact Investment Lead
Grant Manager
Communications Expert
Assistant to the Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Curator
Director Communications, Journalism, and Media
Communications Specialist
Legal Assistant
Office Manager
Director Strategy and Europe
Project Manager Europe and Democracy
Communications Expert
Project Coordinator
Head of Design and Research and Co-Managing Director of the Open Future Lab
Head of Business Development and Co-Managing Director of the Open Future Lab
Senior Advisor to the Board
Communications Expert
In-house Counsel
Manager Strategic Partnerships
Office Manager
Project Assistant
Assistant to the Managing Board
Office and Grant Manager
Manager Social Innovation
Communications Expert
IT Coordinator and Accounting Administrator
Boris Marte is CEO of ERSTE Foundation since October 2021. He was Head of Erste HUB, the innovation centre of Erste Group from 2012 until 2021. In that role he had been responsible for the development of numerous innovation projects of Erste Group, such as the banking platform George, the Erste Financial Life Park (FLiP) and Erste Group’s #glaubandich identity communication. He returned to the Managing Board of ERSTE Foundation in 2016, which he had previously been a member of between 2008 and 2012. Prior to working for Erste Group, Boris Marte held various positions in politics as a Member of the Cabinets of the Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Science and Research (1991-1995) and of the Cultural Commissioner of the City of Vienna (1997-2001). From 1998 until 2000, Boris Marte was responsible for the installation of the Holocaust Monument in the city of Vienna. In 1999, he published the book Die Neue Ordnung des Politischen – Die Herausforderungen der Demokratie im 21. Jahrhundert (Campus Verlag, Frankfurt/New York).
Most recently, Wolfgang Schopf held the position of CFO on the Management Board of Česká Sporitelna. Before that, he was Head of Group Performance Management at Erste Group, where he had worked since 1980. He began his career in the accounting department of Girozentrale. After the merger with Erste Bank, he became Deputy Head of Accounting and in 2004 Head of Controlling. In that role, Wolfgang Schopf developed and implemented Group Performance Management, which he headed until his move to ČS in 2013. Since 2021 he is CFO and Deputy CEO on the managing board of ERSTE Foundation.
Gudrun Egger war von 2008 bis 2024 Head of Major Markets & Credit Research in der Erste Group. Hier war sie für die Festlegung der Erste Group „Hausmeinung“ für die Hauptmärkte Eurozone und USA hinsichtlich Wirtschafts-, Zins- und Kapitalmarktprognosen verantwortlich. Von 2006 bis 2008 leitete sie das Work-Life Center in der Erste Group, wo sie Projekte und gezielte Maßnahmen zur betrieblichen Gesundheitsförderung entwickelte und umsetzte. Zuvor war sie als Aktienanalystin tätig mit einem Fokus auf österreichische börsennotierte Unternehmen und ausgewählte Sektoren (z. B. erneuerbare Energie). Gudrun Egger hat einen Master of Science in Professional Coaching. Seit Herbst 2024 ist sie Mitglied des Vorstandes in der ERSTE Stiftung.
After graduating from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Martin started his banking career in 1989. He began working for Erste Bank in 1991, heading the New Issues and Funding department from 1993 on. He has been Head of the Group Strategy department since 2002. Since 2016, Martin serves as Executive Director and Head of Finance and Organisation at ERSTE Foundation. Since 2021, he was appointed COO on the managing board of ERSTE Foundation.
Bettina Breiteneder became a Member of ERSTE Foundation’s Supervisory Board in 2017. She has worked at the family-owned group BIP Breiteneder lmmobilien Parking since 1993, where her main focus is on real estate development and management. She was CEO of DZ-Donauzentrum Besitz- und Vermietungs-Aktiengesellschaft from 1995 until 2004 and Member of the Supervisory Board until February 2006. She was a Member of the Supervisory Board of Interunfall AG (subsidiary of Generali) until May 2004, Member of the Supervisory Board of Erste Group from 2004 until May 2017, Member of the Board of Directors of RICS Austria from 2008 until 2009, and Member of the Supervisory Board of Austria Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit Privatstiftung from 2010 until 2012. Today, Bettina Breiteneder is also Member of the Advisory Committee of „Wiener Konzerthaus “ since March 2012, Member of the Supervisory Board of „Generali Holding Vienna AG“ since June 2012, Member of the Supervisory Board of Pappas Holding GmbH since July 2017. Bettina Breiteneder studied business administration at WU Wien (Vienna University of Economics and Business).
Eva Höltl has been a member of the Supervisory Board of ERSTE Foundation since 2024. Before, she was a member of the managing board of ERSTE Foundation. As head of the health centre of Erste Bank AG, she is responsible for all aspects of workplace health promotion. Eva Höltl is also a lecturer at the Academy of Occupational Medicine, head of the scientific advisory board of the Austrian Academy of Occupational Medicine and Prevention, a member of the board of the Austrian Society of Occupational Medicine and a member of the board of trustees of the Erwin Ringel Institute’s endowment fund.
Over the last 25 years, Philipp Thurn und Taxis gained experience as consultant, entrepreneur and manager in technology sectors across Europe. He currently leads CNB Capital, an investment firm focused on young technology companies. In addition, he serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at TTTech Computertechnik. Philipp got his law degree from the university of Vienna and an MBA from Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh.
Markus Trauttmansdorff has been a Member of the Supervisory Board of ERSTE Foundation since 2014. He graduated as a Doctor of Law in 1982 and received an MBA in 1985. In addition to that he holds a degree in Economics. In 1985 Markus Trauttmansdorff started his career as a business consultant at Bain & Company Inc. in Munich and in 1988 he became Managing Partner at IMM Industrie Management München. From 1994 to 2002 he was CFO at TA Triumph-Adler AG. Markus Trauttmansdorff has been Managing Partner of MT Capital GmbH & Co. KG, based in Vienna and Munich, since 2003.
Andreas Treichl has been Chairman of the Supervisory Board of ERSTE Foundation since January 2020 and its President since 6 December 2019. Prior to that he was Chief Executive Officer of Erste Group Bank AG between 1997 and 2019. Under his leadership, Erste Group, which had been a local savings bank up to then, went public and grew into one of the leading banking groups in Central and Eastern Europe, where it has more than 16 million customers. Erste Group is recognised as being at the forefront of digital banking innovation – its award winning banking platform George has already gained traction with over four million clients across the region. Treichl has also been the driving force behind Erste Group’s Social Banking programme, a financial inclusion initiative that addresses the needs of traditionally unbanked groups in CEE including people at risk of poverty, first-time entrepreneurs and social organisations. He was Chairman of the Board of ERSTE Foundation from 2003 to 2012
Manfred Wimmer holds a PhD in law and started his career as an assistant lecturer at the University of Innsbruck in 1978. After working in the banking sector for more than 15 years, he went to Erste Bank in 1998 and continued his career as Head of International Marketing. After serving as a member of the Supervisory Board he took over the chair from Georg Winckler in autumn 2018.
Martina Bachler ist seit Juli 2023 Pressereferentin für Vorstand und Aufsichtsrat der Erste Stiftung. Davor war sie Redakteurin beim Wirtschaftsmagazin „Trend“ und dabei vor allem für volkswirtschaftliche und internationale Themen zuständig. Ihre journalistische Erfahrung umfasst zudem die Co-Chefredaktion des Kultur- und Gesellschaftsmagazins „Fleisch“, sie veröffentlichte in „Die Zeit“, dem „SZ Magazin“ und dem Natur- und Nachhaltigkeitsmagazin „Wald“. Nach ihrem Abschluss an der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, hatte sie zunächst Erfahrungen im Brandmanagement gesammelt.
Yana Barinova has been the Project Manager for European Policies and Ukrainian Affairs at ERSTE Foundation since April 2022.
Previously, Yana held various positions within the Ukrainian government. She served as the Director of the Department of Culture in the Kyiv State City Administration and was also an advisor to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. Her academic credentials include a doctoral degree in Arts and Science from Sorbonne University and an MBA in Cultural Management from Paris Business School. She also completed programmes at the Aspen Institute Ukraine and the Ukrainian School of Political Studies. These credentials provide her with a solid foundation in both the socio-cultural and political spheres.
From 2015 to 2019, Yana held the position of Chief Operating Officer at the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Centre for four and a half years.
She is also the curator of the course “Cultural Diplomacy in Times of War” at the Central European University and the author of the book New Media, Memory, Places, along with numerous articles and lectures on cultural policy, memory politics, and cultural diplomacy.
Yana served as the Chair of the Working Group on the Nomination of the Chernobyl Zone to the UNESCO World Heritage List at Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine (2019-2020).
One of her passions is collecting contemporary art.
Despite having studied comparative literature and rhetoric at the University of Vienna and UC Berkeley, Jutta is convinced that books are not just for the studious, but for the joy of reading. She has been providing and creating knowledge as Head of the ERSTE Foundation Library since 2007.
Ana Cretu is the Social Impact Investment Lead at ERSTE Foundation, responsible for leading the design, development, and implementation of ERSTE Foundation’s Social Impact Investment Strategy.
Ana has 13 years of banking experience, with previous roles in corporate finance and investment banking, including mergers & acquisitions and equity capital markets. She has also worked in impact, innovation, sustainable capacity building, and financing. Her most recent role was within BCR’s Social Banking Department, part of ERSTE Group Bank AG, where her primary focus was to initiate and lead projects at various stages of the innovation process. Her wide range of responsibilities encompassed designing, executing and evaluating impact initiatives, including framing the first corporate venture capital vehicle for tech start-ups owned by a bank in Romania. Additionally, she was involved in different collaborations with tech start-ups that graduated from the InnovX-BCR accelerator, where she holds the position of Co-Founder and serves as a member of the Board of Advisors. Ana collaborated with various partners, including equity vehicles for start-ups, corporates, universities, NGOs, public authorities, and technology providers.
Ana is a fellow of the Aspen Institute Young Leaders Program and believes in the passionate pursuit of real collaboration between the people behind start-ups and corporates, as well as in building long-term partnerships, finding the best timing for good technology, using tech to do good, mitigating risks, maximizing potential, and moving innovation forward at a regional level. Much of her current endeavours both as a banker and as a supporter of tech start-ups concentrate on uncovering the sometimes hidden positive impacts technology can have on health, education, well-being, prosperity, equality, climate, work, and ethics.
Ursula’s motto is that happiness is not a state to arrive in, but a manner of travelling. Well, she has certainly done plenty of the latter. Although she was born and raised in Austria, Ursula has lived and worked all over the map – literally! Luxembourg, Grenoble, Paris and Athens proved to be a valuable detour before finally arriving at ERSTE Foundation in 2005.
Together with Jovana, Mira and Gerald, Maribel communicates ERSTE Foundation’s mission and projects to the world. Maribel is a Munich-born art historian, journalist, art critic and former press officer for EXPO 2000 in Hanover and documenta X in Kassel. After joining ERSTE Foundation in early 2007, she established the organisation’s communications department and strategy. Since 2019, she is equally responsible for the foundation’s journalism and media initiatives. Maribel is member of the steering committee of the peer exchange group Communication Professionals in Philanthropy of the European Foundation Centre.
A desire to support important projects with a philanthropic purpose led this former tour guide for visitors to the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) headquarters in Vienna to ERSTE Foundation in 2008. Long time, she guided programme information through our database – and was in daily contact with our project partners, ensuring efficient project administration and implementation. Since the beginning of 2018, Mira is part of the communication team and, among other projects, manages the events in the rooms of ERSTE Foundation.
Since the beginning of 2019, Hedvig Morvai has been responsible for programme development and civil society initiatives in the fields of policy development, democracy, human rights, journalism, education and socio-economic research as well as European affairs at ERSTE Foundation. She developed her multi-disciplinary approach to leadership in regional co-operation and European integration in civic activism, philanthropy and regional politics. Previously, Hedvig was Executive Director of the European Fund for the Balkans and Director of the Citizens ’Pact for Europe-Southeastern Europe.
Dani Mühlbacher has been supporting the ERSTE Foundation’s communications team since January 2024 as a maternity leave cover. Since 2012, the Tyrolean native has focused on working with people: in team leadership and editorial management, in building new teams and digital communities, as well as in needs-oriented support, in workshops and in systemic consulting. Through her experience in various professional roles and corporate contexts, she has an extensive skillset that allows her to look at challenges and their impact on people holistically. In addition to her background in marketing and communications, Dani completed the Propedeutic Programme in Psychotherapy.
Barbora lives in Bratislava and works in Vienna, so she has certainly mastered the art of commuting. Maybe the fact that she studied psychology is what helps her always keep calm, even in stressful situations. Since 2012, she has been working for ERSTE Foundation´s various programmes. She had previously worked at ZONE Media, a film production company based in Vienna.
Rauno Pello, Head of Design and Research at ERSTE Foundation, fuses strategic design and financial innovation aimed at societal enhancement. With an illustrious two-decade career spanning different roles at, for example, TBWA and Brand Manual, Pello’s multifaceted design experience enriches his approach to financial life design. His PhD pursuit in management at the Estonian Business School, focusing on human-centred financial well-being, underscores his commitment to impactful research. His extensive lecturing background, covering research design, qualitative methods, design thinking, and creative entrepreneurship, complements his practical work and showcases his dedication to shaping future design and research leaders. His current role at ERSTE Foundation signifies a pivotal engagement in transforming financial life and systems through rigorous research, design, strategy, and a profound commitment to societal well-being through the new lab.
Andreea has joined ERSTE Stiftung with a vision to enhance financial well-being of people, communities, and society at large in her role as Head of Business Development. She is an integral part of a research and innovation lab at ERSTE Stiftung, where she is exploring and redesigning financial life of people, communities, and society.
Andreea is part of Erste Group since 2015 and holds a Bachelor and Master degree in Finance & Banking, having more than 10 years of program management experience during which she has successfully brought numerous strategic projects to life. Her expertise lays in technological projects & programs with high business impact, leading and empowering international teams of up to 100+ people. Previously she worked for Hewlett Packard and OMV.
Andreea is driven by a deep passion to improve the world around us. Her energy and curiosity are ignited by the wisdom and diverse perspectives of those around her. She is on a mission to make a lasting, positive impact on society, and see sees every new opportunity as a chance to grow and evolve both as an individual and as a force for good.
Franz Karl Prüller has been Senior Advisor to the ERSTE Foundation Board since 2016. Before joining ERSTE Foundation, where he was Director of the Social Development Programme from 2005 until 2013, Member of the Board from 2012 until 2016, and the Board’s Chair from 2015 to 2016, he worked at Caritas Austria for 17 years. For a period of nine years there, he was Secretary General in charge of international programmes and the project department. During that time he represented Caritas Austria on the executive boards of Caritas Internationalis and Europa and chaired the charitable foundation Neighbour in Need for three years. Prior to 1996, he was in charge of Caritas’ Central and Eastern Europe programme and disaster relief programme. While working on the CEE programme from 1989 to 1993, he helped re-build Caritas organisations in the Czech Republic, Romania and Bulgaria, among others.
Gerald proves his communication skills every time he takes a group of people safely into the mountains, be it in summer or winter. A certified hiking and ski touring instructor, he knows how to orientate himself and enjoys cooperating with others. Before he started supporting the ERSTE Foundation team with always finding the best communications path, Gerald studied political science, worked for the publishing house Freytag & Berndt and even wrote a few books on hiking and ski touring in the Alps.
Since autumn 2017, Johannes Steiner a.k.a. John has been welcoming the visitors of ERSTE Foundation. John’s interest in science and technology is reflected in his studies of physics at the University of Vienna. After a couple of years as a bicycle messenger he was glad to replace his study job for the reception support at ERSTE Foundation. However, he won’t give up his passion for bicycles – maintaining his bike-pool and exploring the city remains an important part of his leisure activities.
Olena Sushkova is Project Assistant for European Policies and Ukrainian Affairs at ERSTE Foundation since March 2024.
Olena’s diverse professional experience spans research, teaching, and administration, particularly in the public administration and taxation sectors. She holds a doctoral degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Accounting and Audit. Her career includes significant collaborations with key Ukrainian government bodies, including the State Tax Service of Ukraine, the State Customs Service, and the Ministry of Finance.
At the Research Institute for Fiscal Policy at the State Tax University in Ukraine, Olena contributed to research initiatives, offering recommendations for economic policy reforms. In addition to her research, she taught as an Associate Professor at the State Tax University in Ukraine, sharing her expertise in the economic domain. Her administrative capabilities were honed as Deputy Director of the Institute for Scientific Work, where she managed research coordination, reporting, partnership building, and communication with state authorities and other stakeholders.
Olena also brings extensive event management experience, having organized conferences, workshops, and other activities.
Fanny Tamussino started at Erste Foundation in April 2023. She worked in advertising and event organisation before joining the Austrian Red Cross, where she held various positions over the years: as assistant in the Secretary General’s office, planning events and fundraising campaigns, and managing long-term partnerships in the Philanthropy & Corporate Partnerships unit.
Belgrade, Berlin, Belgrade, Vienna, Venice, Vienna, Belgrade, Vienna – Jovana has certainly moved around a lot! However, this has only added to her experience and had a significant impact on her professional development – skills that this communications expert honed even more after joining ERSTE Foundation in 2008. Before joining the team, Jovana worked at the OSCE Mission to Serbia to support democratic reform. Together with Maribel, Gerald and Mira, she runs this magazine and always keeps her cool.
Lubica was born in Bratislava. She graduated from the Faculty of Management at Comenius University. Later she worked in various journalistic and PR positions and even translated books. Lubica got to know ERSTE Foundation during her last job in the press department of Slovenska Sporitelna and was enchanted by its social projects. She has worked in various departments within the foundation since 2009 and is now part of Budget & Organisation. She also helps us out with all kinds of IT-related questions. Lubica likes hiking, travelling, reading and spending time with her family.
Seit Mitte 2024 ist Milan Vujić Mitglied des Teams Europa und Demokratie der ERSTE Stiftung. Milan ist den demokratischen Werten verpflichtet, trägt zur Programmentwicklung bei und widmet sich der Stärkung zivilgesellschaftlicher Initiativen in verschiedenen Bereichen, u.A. Policy Entwicklung, Menschenrechte, Journalismus, Bildung, sozioökonomische Forschung und europäische Angelegenheiten. Vor dieser Rolle etablierte sich Milan als prominenter Verfechter von Menschenrechten und Demokratie auf dem Balkan, mit besonderem Schwerpunkt auf transnationaler Gerechtigkeit – einem Thema, das in der Region nach wie vor äußerst heikel ist. Milan hat einen LL.M. Abschluss in globalem Wirtschaftsrecht und Regulierung der Central European University (CEU) und ist leidenschaftlich daran interessiert, Lösungen für aufkommende Menschenrechtsherausforderungen im Zeitalter der digitalen Allgegenwärtigkeit und des schnellen industriellen Fortschritts zu finden.
Born in Fargo (USA), a place made famous by a Coen brothers’ film, Heide spent most of her life in Austria. After finishing university programmes in journalism, theatre, film and media studies in Vienna and San Francisco, milestones in Heide’s career were heading the press department at Tanzquartier Wien and working as a production manager at Wiener Festwochen. After that, she worked with Erste Bank’s sponsoring department ‘Kontakt. The Arts and Civil Society Programme of Erste Group’. All these vocational challenges have equipped her well for her latest challenge: the Culture Programme of ERSTE Foundation, where she started in 2009.
Gudrun Egger was Head of Major Markets & Credit Research at Erste Group from 2008 to 2024, where she was responsible for defining Erste Group’s “in-house view” for the major markets, eurozone and USA, with regard to economic, interest rate and capital market forecasts. From 2006 to 2008, she headed the Work Life Centre at Erste Group, where she developed and implemented projects and targeted workplace health promotion measures. Prior to this, she worked as an equity analyst focussing on Austrian listed companies and selected sectors (e.g. renewable energy). Gudrun Egger holds a Master’s of Science degree in Professional Coaching. She has been a member of the ERSTE Foundation Managing Board since autumn 2024.
Martina Bachler was appointed press officer for the managing board and supervisory board of ERSTE Foundation in July 2023. Prior to that, she was an editor at Trend business magazine, largely specialising in economic and international affairs. Her journalistic career includes a stint as co-chief editor of the culture and society magazine Fleisch. Her articles featured in Die Zeit, the Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin and the nature and sustainability magazine Wald. After graduating from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, she initially gained experience in brand management.
Since mid-2024, Milan Vujić has been a pivotal member of the ERSTE Foundation’s Europa and Democracy team. Committed to democratic values, Milan contributes to program development and strengthens civil society initiatives across various fields including policy development, human rights, journalism, education, socio-economic research, and European affairs. Before this role, Milan established himself as a prominent advocate for human rights and democracy in the Balkans, with a special focus on transnational justice—a topic that remains highly sensitive in the region. Over the years, his collaborative work with various civil society and international organizations has elevated his advocacy efforts to a global scale. Milan holds an LL.M. degree in Global Business Law and Regulation from Central European University and is passionate about exploring solutions for emerging human rights challenges in the era of digital ubiquity and rapid industrial advancements.
