„Truth is Bearable“ | Dr. Karl Sevelda, CEO of RBI
Dr. Karl Sevelda, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International, joined Sylvia Freygner for a moderated discussion with Mag. Brigitte Handlos, ORF Chronicle Editor, on the topic: „Trust as the New Currency – Old or New Values for a World in Transition?“
The evening began with a keynote by Dr. Franz Schnellhorn, Head of the Think Tank Agenda Austria, who emphasized the market-oriented focus of his organization and stated that recurring bank bailouts are not sustainable solutions.
„The Desire for Freedom and Independence Must Be Encouraged“ | Dr. Karl Sevelda, CEO of RBI
During the moderated conversation, Dr. Sevelda explained that the original notion of banks being „too big to fail“ has lost its validity since the 2008 financial crisis. He highlighted the increasing speed of change and the growing stringency of banking regulations. When asked whether trust is particularly important in the banking sector, he responded, „Just like in any other profession, trust is essential in banking.“ However, he acknowledged that the positive image of banks has significantly deteriorated since the crisis.
The discussion was followed by an engaging dialogue with participants, including Univ.-Prof. Dr. Rainer Münz | Erste Group Bank AG, Karin Strobl | Editor-in-Chief of Regionalmedien Austria AG, Dr. Josef Taus | MTH Management Trust Holding AG, DI Wolfgang Anzengruber | Verbund Austrian Power Grid AG, and Prelate KR Mag. Maximilian Fürnsinn.
