publication
2025-12-23 17:32
update
2025-12-23 18:03
Santander Bank Polska will change its name to Erste Bank Polska and introduce the new owner's global logo in the second quarter of 2026. As the bank states in a press release, the Polish Financial Supervision Authority has already given consent to the name change, and the final decision is to be made by shareholders during the Extraordinary General Meeting on January 22, 2026.
As we read in the announcement, the draft resolutions at the EGM also include changes in the Supervisory Board. The candidates for new members are Peter Bosek as chairman and Alexandra Habeler-Drabek, Stefan Dörfler and Maurizio Poletto. After finalizing the transaction, Erste Group is to become the main shareholder of Santander Bank Polska, and the rebranding is to emphasize its affiliation to the Austrian group.
The bank announces that the process of changing the brand itself will start in the second quarter of 2026, provided that the changes are accepted by the EGM and after entries are made in the National Court Register. The name change will also apply to companies from the capital group that have “Santander” in their name, with the exception of Santander Consumer Bank in Poland (with subsidiaries), which is to remain in the Santander Group.
For retail customers, the most important thing is that the contracts will remain in force. According to Santander Bank Polska, account numbers, hotline numbers and PIN numbers will not change, and the cards will be active until their expiry date. The bank also emphasizes that it operates normally throughout the process, and advisors are available at branches and on the hotline.
In practice, this means that rebranding is to be primarily a change of the sign and visual identification, without “transferring” customers to new accounts or signing annexes. As we already wrote when announcing the agreement, customers will not be forced to take any action, and elements such as cards will be replaced over time. At the same time, it can be expected that in the long run the bank will propose new products or technologies.
The digital thread may be important because Erste is developing the “George” platform in its markets. As we wrote earlier, the group has been implementing it since 2015 and is gradually moving other markets to it, and after the acquisition of Santander in Poland, a similar direction can be expected, with adaptation to local services such as Blik. This is a scenario for the next quarters, not for the first weeks after the change of ownership, because this type of migrations are usually spread over time.
Santander Bank Polska argues that the brand change is to bring access to the experience and technology of the new main shareholder. The announcement also highlights the benefits for corporate clients, who will gain an additional opportunity to strengthen their presence and invest in new markets in Central and Eastern Europe thanks to the scale of Erste's operations. As the bank reminds, Erste Group operates in seven countries in the region, serves 17 million customers and employs approximately 46,000. employees, and its roots date back to 1819.
