Karel Baert

This article is based on the introductory speech given by Karel Baert, CEO of Febelfin, at Febelfin Connect (Brussels, 28 March 2022), Febelfin’s annual networking event. The topic of this year’s event was “Financing the transition towards a more sustainable society”.

Today’s banks are healthier and more solid than they were a decade ago. Sustainability and transparency are top priorities and the focus lies on the traditional core task of converting savings into loans. As a result, the banking sector was able to play its full role in society during the corona crisis. Companies, consumers, and individuals experiencing financial difficulties could count on postponing the repayment of their loans. A state guarantee scheme for enterprise loans totalling €10 billion was developed as well. In addition, regular credit production for companies was maintained. However, this does not mean that the other challenges – such as the increasing digital transformation of society and therefore also of the financial sector – have disappeared. On the contrary, they too remain at the top of the priority list.