Interviews with Candidates for EIB Presidency [Promoted content]

The EU’s 27 finance ministers will soon appoint a new president of the world’s largest multilateral financial institution—the European Investment Bank, or EIB.

To inject some transparency into this behind-closed-doors process, and to bring it to life, The Center for Global Development (CGD) invited all the shortlisted candidates to participate in a conversation about their vision for the future of the bank.

The designation of the new president will have major implications, not just for the EU, but for the world. From the ongoing war in Ukraine, to the uncertainty and inflationary challenges plaguing the global economy, to the climate and the debt crises that are unfolding, Europe and indeed the world are facing a reckoning.

The EIB has a critical role to play in addressing these challenges—and who takes over as its president will make a huge difference to the direction it takes.

Five candidates were nominated by their country to become the next president of the bank: two current vice-presidents of the EIB—Thomas Östros (Sweden) and Teresa Czerwińska (Poland); Margrethe Vestager (Denmark), Executive Vice-President of the European Commission; Nadia Calviño, First Vice-President and Minister of Economy and Digital Affairs in Spain; and Daniele Franco (Italy), former Italian Minister of Economy and Finance.

Interviews with two of the candidates are now available to watch. Thomas Östros is a Vice-President at the EIB, and has been in this role since 2020. Margrethe Vestager is the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Competition.