By Jakob Van Calster and Mateusz Rabiega
(Reuters) – Belgium’s largest bank KBC is considering acquisitions in Central European markets, including Romania, CEO Johan Thijs told Reuters on Thursday.
The lender, which is already active in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, is looking into opportunities in both the banking and insurance segments, Thijs said.
“We are definitely looking into possibilities on the M&A front,” Thijs said in an interview. “If tomorrow one or the other bank or insurance company is available, we will definitely have a look.”
“If something (becomes) available in Romania, we would be interested as well.”
He said the bank has a shortlist of potential targets, but declined to give further details.
Thijs said the bank is also interested in buying state-owned Belgian insurer Ethias – whose potential sale has long been a point of political contention between its joint owners, the Flemish, Walloon and federal states – “when they become available”.
The bank’s Central European units helped it achieve strong results in 2024, accounting for almost 50% of annual net earnings.
Europe’s banking sector is seeing broader consolidation, with Spain’s BBVA pursuing smaller rival Sabadell, Commerzbank fending off advances from Italy’s UniCredit, and Dutch ING Groep exploring takeover options in Germany, Italy and Spain.
The KBC chief called on Europe to reconsider banking regulation, referencing President Donald Trump’s promises to deregulate the U.S. banking sector.
“One good thing about the behaviour of Mr. Trump is that it might cause the European institutions to reconsider their positions (on a European Banking Union)”, he said.
“I don’t believe in a sector which is fully self-regulated… (but) the pendulum has swung too far,” he said.
(Reporting by Jakob Van Calster and Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk; Editing by Jan Harvey)
