Düsseldorf/Münster, February 2, 2026
Gabriela Pantring assumed the role of Chairwoman of the Managing Board of NRW.BANK on February 1, 2026. She succeeds Eckhard Forst, who retired at the end of January 2026.
“I have a clear ambition for my new role: to continue shaping NRW and preparing it for the future – through targeted promotion, partnership and cooperation,” says Gabriela Pantring, Chairwoman of NRW.BANK’s Managing Board. “Particularly in a challenging environment, we want to take an active part in driving economic transformation, while working to ensure housing remains affordable and that local authorities are able to act. We will therefore continue to develop our promotional instruments – always tailored to the needs of people, businesses and local authorities in NRW.”
Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Deputy Premier and Chairwoman of NRW.BANK’s Supervisory Board, commented on the appointment: “Ms Pantring stands for years of experience, reliable continuity and outstanding commitment. She will be a Chairwoman who keeps a close eye on the challenges ahead and actively shapes the future of NRW.BANK.”
Continuity and new impetus
The Managing Board’s new Chairwoman, Gabriela Pantring, has been appointed from within the Bank’s own ranks. The 59-year-old has been a leading figure at NRW.BANK for many years. She joined the Managing Board in 2016 and has served as its Deputy Chairwoman since 2023. Now, she has taken the next step to the top of the promotional bank. In her new role, she will assume strategic responsibility and drive the Bank’s ongoing development in a dynamic environment characterised by economic and social change. Her focus will be on establishing NRW.BANK as a reliable partner for citizens, local authorities and businesses in NRW, while providing new promotional impetus in these times of transformation and multiple challenges.
About Gabriela Pantring:
Gabriela Pantring began her career in the mid-1980s within the savings banks organisation and later worked for the Group Audit Department of Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale in London. In 2002, she joined the newly established NRW.BANK, where she headed several units.
In 2013, she became a member of the Managing Board of Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB), before returning to NRW.BANK as a member of the Managing Board in 2016. In her role on the Managing Board, she oversees front-office responsibilities, including Capital Markets, Promotion Programmes, and Special Finance, which encompasses Infrastructure and Syndicated Loan Business.
She holds various mandates, including Vice President of the European Association of Public Banks (EAPB).
For photos, please visit www.nrwbank./en/executive-bodies
NRW.BANK - the promotional bank for North Rhine-Westphalia
NRW.BANK is the promotional bank of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). In close partnership with its owner, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Bank helps to strengthen SMEs and start-ups, create affordable housing and improve public infrastructure. To fulfil its mandate, NRW.BANK offers people, enterprises and local authorities tailor-made financing solutions and advisory services. It cooperates with its financing partners, in particular all banks and savings banks, on a competition-neutral basis. NRW.BANK operates largely independently of the state budget. In order to accelerate the transformation processes, the promotional bank provides effective promotional impulses – for a sustainable, climate-neutral and digital North Rhine-Westphalia.