Press release, May 6th 2026

In the past two days, 30 years of activity of the Banking Agency of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina were marked in the beautiful surroundings of the Sarajevo City Hall. The solemn ceremony, which was held on Monday evening, brought together numerous officials from the world of finance, high-ranking officials, politicians and business people in general, and it was also attended by Paola Papanicolaou, Chief of Intesa Sanpaolo’s International Banks Division, and Michele Castoro, President of the Management Board of Intesa Sanpaolo Banka BiH.

In this way, Papanicolaou and Castoro wanted to express their gratitude to the Head of the Agency, Jasmin Mahmuzić, as well as to the Agency for the excellent cooperation during the eighteen years of operation of Intesa Sanpaolo Banka in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On the second day of this jubilee celebration, a full-day conference entitled "Three decades of stability and trust: The role of the banking regulator in the new financial order" was held, whose speakers included, among others, Jasmin Mahmuzić,Head of the FBiH Banking Agency, Toni Kraljević, Federal Minister of Finance, prof. Dr. Meliha Bašić, dean of the University of Sarajevo’s Faculty of Economics and many others. Panel discussions were also held during the conference, and Paola Papanicolaou took part in the panel entitled "The future of banking - between supervision, public interest and the market".

On that occasion, Papanicolaou stated:

"It is a privilege to join the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Federal Banking Agency, a milestone that reflects the strength and resilience of the banking system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over the years, the partnership between Intesa Sanpaolo Banka and the FBA has contributed to the country’s financial stability and development.

With the establishment of Intesa Sanpaolo Banka Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2008, Intesa Sanpaolo has built a strong and steadily growing presence in the country. We support households, SMEs, and large corporates, contributing to the local economy while reaffirming our long-term commitment and confidence in the growth potential of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Banks are a core component of a country’s financial infrastructure and play a key role in supporting sustainable economic and social progress. In this context, developing integrated frameworks that combine regulatory, financial, and ESG considerations is not only prudent, but can become a key source of competitive advantage.

Our role goes beyond banking: we aim to be an active partner in the country’s development, promoting a sustainable business model, supporting the real economy, and accompanying our clients and companies on a solid, long-term growth path.”