Sarah Schmidtke becomes CEO of Frankfurt Main Finance
Published on 19 July 2026.
Frankfurt Main Finance, the association of the Frankfurt financial center, has a new CEO from 1 February 2027: Sarah Schmidtke. The association announced the appointment on 14 July 2026. Her first two tasks are the measures of the new financial center strategy and the setup of the association's own office.
Schmidtke is managing director of the Bankenverband Mitte, the regional association of the private banks in Frankfurt, and of the Interessengemeinschaft Frankfurter Kreditinstitute (IFK). Since 2023 she has also headed the Banks and Society division at the Association of German Banks. Both regional roles end when she starts in Frankfurt.
Oliver Behrens, president of Frankfurt Main Finance, names the groundwork already in place: the new financial center strategy, the Charter of Cooperation and better funding. "We are delighted to welcome Sarah Schmidtke, a proven expert with an international profile, for this strategic role," he says. Kaweh Mansoori, Deputy Minister-President of Hesse and a board member, adds that the association becomes a strategic partner of the state government and works with the Financial Center Cabinet of Hesse. Florian Rentsch, the state's special representative for the financial center, says the appointment committee "found in Sarah Schmidtke a CEO with international experience and proven communication skills."
Hubertus Väth leaves after 19 years
Hubertus Väth leaves the management board of Frankfurt Main Finance on 31 January 2027. He built up the association from its founding in 2008 and served under three presidents; his firm NewMark Finanzkommunikation has run the office until now. Behrens credits him with making the association a strong voice of the financial center: the financial industry employs more people in Frankfurt than ever, and the city is the leading financial center of the EU. Väth says he will keep thinking and acting as an entrepreneur.
Frankfurt Main Finance and Finance Loop
Frankfurt Main Finance is a strategic partner of Finance Loop. Finance Loop has been a member of Frankfurt Main Finance since October 2024. The two organizations support each other: emerging technologies in finance matter for the whole financial center, and so do personal networks and the further training of professionals. Frankfurt Main Finance was founded in 2008 and has more than 75 members from banks, exchanges, consultancies, universities and the public sector.
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