William Connelly, future Societe Generale chairman of the board of directors, starting May 2026

Core Points - William Connelly has been selected as the future Chairman of the Board of Directors for Societe Generale, effective from the General Meeting on 27 May 2026, succeeding Lorenzo Bini Smaghi [1][2] - The selection process was conducted by the Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee with the help of an independent consultant, concluding in late 2023 [2] - Connelly has been a member of Societe Generale's Board since 2017 and has chaired the Risk Committee since 2019 [2][4] - Lorenzo Bini Smaghi emphasized that Connelly's appointment reflects Societe Generale's commitment to high governance standards and continuity in leadership [3] Company Overview - Societe Generale is a leading European bank with approximately 119,000 employees serving over 26 million clients across 62 countries [7] - The bank has a diverse range of services including French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance, Global Banking and Investor Solutions, and Mobility, International Retail Banking and Financial Services [8][9] - Societe Generale is committed to sustainability and is included in major socially responsible investment indices such as DJSI, FTSE4Good, and MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index [9] Leadership Background - William Connelly has extensive experience in the financial services sector, having held various executive roles at Chase Manhattan Bank, Baring Brothers, and ING Group NV [5] - He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amadeus IT Group and Aegon, and has served as an independent director for Singular Bank [4][5] - Connelly holds a degree in Economics from Georgetown University and is a French citizen [6]