KBC Group (EBR: KBC) has appointed Kris Vervaet as its new Group Chief Information Officer and member of the Executive Committee, pending regulatory approval from the European Central Bank and the National Bank of Belgium.
Vervaet is set to assume the role on September 1, with a transition period planned alongside outgoing CIO Erik Luts to ensure continuity across the group’s technology operations.
Erik Luts will retire on August 31 after a career that has been central to KBC’s emergence as a recognized leader in digital banking and financial innovation.
Luts began his professional life not in finance or technology, but in education, having studied pedagogy at KU Leuven before working as a lecturer and later joining an Apple reseller during the rise of personal computing.
He joined what was then Kredietbank in 1988, and over the following decades played a defining role in the development of KBC’s digital channels, payment solutions and the Isabel platform, a benchmark tool for corporate clients.
His career also included an international posting at Nova Ljubljanska banka in Slovenia, where he contributed to preparations for the introduction of the euro.
Luts joined KBC Group’s Executive Committee in 2017 as Chief Innovation Officer, taking on responsibility for digital transformation, ICT, innovation and shared services across the group.
Koenraad Debackere, President of the Board of Directors of KBC Group, paid tribute to Luts, saying: “His profound knowledge and expertise, rich insights, and entrepreneurial perseverance have made it possible for KBC to develop into a digital front-runner.”
CEO Johan Thijs offered a personal reflection on their two decades working together, stating: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. He has been one of the masterminds behind the IT-systems and the way we build innovation at KBC today.”
Thijs added: “Today, it is not a colleague retiring, but a truly good friend.”
Vervaet brings more than 30 years of experience in technology, operations and digital transformation across the telecom, energy, media and finance sectors.
He holds a degree in civil engineering in communication and electronics from Ghent University and has completed executive programs at Stanford, Columbia and IMD.
His previous roles include senior leadership positions at Proximus, EDF and EDF Luminus, where he led large-scale transformation programs combining commercial, operational and IT responsibilities.
At DPG Media, he served as CEO of Belgian activities and as COO and CDO at group level, driving digital acceleration and operational performance.
Since joining KBC, Vervaet has held the position of CIO of KBC Belgium, launching transformation initiatives centered on automation and efficiency improvements across the organization.
Commenting on his appointment, Vervaet said: “Innovation is firmly anchored in KBC’s strategy and is not a goal in itself, but a way to make customers’ lives simpler, more relevant and more secure.”
Vervaet also noted: “What I like most here at KBC, and what drew me here, is how we bring technology, data and customer insight together in a way that truly drives customer trust and growth.”
Thijs welcomed the appointment, stating that Vervaet “brings strong experience in technology, operations and transformation” and expressing confidence that he will “further strengthen our innovation story in the years ahead.”
