Intesa Sanpaolo: the chairman of the board of directors welcomes the First Bank team

Gian Maria Gros-Pietro, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, and Paola Papanicolaou, Chief of the Group’s International Subsidiary Banks Division, accompanied by members of the Group’s management, recently paid a two-day visit to Romania.

Intesa Sanpaolo, a leading European banking Group, already present in the country through Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Romania, recently bolstered its competitive positioning in the local market through the acquisition of First Bank from the US-based private investment fund J.C. Flowers & Co. The two banks are now part of Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Subsidiary Banks Division, a key player in the Central & Eastern European region, offering services to retail, corporate and SME clients.

Gian Maria Gros-Pietro said: “Intesa Sanpaolo has a particularly strong track record in terms of mergers, and the acquisition of First Bank will mark a further step in the Group’s presence in an important European market such as Romania. Joining the two banks’ forces is further proof that we are here to stay and to contribute to the country’s economic development, increasing investments and offering support to businesses, which will benefit from services that facilitate international expansion and specialized advice for ESG transitions”.

During the two days, the Intesa Sanpaolo delegation visited the First Bank headquarters and welcomed the team of the recently acquired bank.

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Paola Papanicolaou added: “Our growth in the Romanian market confirms the Group’s and the International Subsidiary Banks Division’s commitment in this part of Europe. Our stronger position in the market will help broaden our offering to households and businesses in terms of high-quality financial services, including daily banking, financing, insurance and protection products. Moreover, our presence in the country goes beyond business, since we are at the service of local communities in a wider sense, as we are in all the geographies in which we operate, fostering innovation, ESG principles and a culture of inclusion”.

The delegation also visited an exhibition dedicated to the life and legacy of Ileana Sonnabend, hosted by the National Museum of Art of Romania in Bucharest.

Gian Maria Gros-Pietro stated: “Inaugurated last month by Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella during his official visit, this exhibition underscores the profound connection between Romania and Italy. President Mattarella described Romania as an ‘indispensable partner’ for Italy, a sentiment that resonates deeply with the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, whose commitment to this country dates back to 2003 and was recently reinforced by the acquisition of First Bank”. The exhibition features Michelangelo Pistoletto’s “La ragazza che cammina” (The Walking Girl), an iconic piece on loan from the Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s Gallerie d’Italia museum in Naples.

An engaged patron of Italian culture, Intesa Sanpaolo is the only financial institution in Italy to have created its own network of museums – the Gallerie d’Italia in Milan, Turin, Naples and Vicenza – to host the bank’s artistic heritage, an impressive collection of more than 35,000 works of art.

The Chairman of Intesa Sanpaolo added: “Intesa Sanpaolo’s involvement in cultural and artistic initiatives underscores our dedication to fostering cultural exchange and understanding. Through art, we aim to connect people and communities, enriching the cultural fabric of the countries where we operate. In Romania, and throughout Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean Basin via our International Subsidiary Banks Division, we believe it is our duty to contribute not only to economic growth but also to broader social development. We achieve this by working closely with local institutions and Italian embassies. This exhibition demonstrates our mission and the profound social role that art and culture play in developing peaceful and sustainable communities. We aspire to be a world-class impact bank, recognizing that social impact also stems from culture, art, and beauty, which uplift people in difficult situations by making enchantment and hope credible”.

 

Gian Maria Gros-Pietro concluded: “As a leading banking group with a truly European dimension, we are committed to sharing the artistic heritage of our Group across countries and boundaries. Collaboration with prestigious international organizations and institutions, such as the National Museum of Art of Romania, exemplifies our vision. Our activities in support of art and culture are underpinned by our economic results, capital solidity, and the guiding values of Intesa Sanpaolo. These strengths place us among the top banks in Europe, serving nearly 21 million customers worldwide”