Alpha Bank Deputy CEO outlines keys to banking success

Lazaros Papagaryfallou, Deputy CEO of Alpha Bank, identified scale, service breadth, and strategic partnerships as the three essential pillars for banking success in the coming decade. Speaking at the Banktech 2026 conference, he emphasized that achieving scale is a necessity for banks in Southeast Europe to remain competitive within an increasingly integrated European market, covering capital markets, instant payments, and the digital euro.

Papagaryfallou noted that scale allows for better absorption of fixed costs, facilitating necessary investments in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. He highlighted that banks in Greece and Southeast Europe are currently in a stronger position than in the past, with asset quality, profitability, and credit expansion approaching or exceeding European averages.

To achieve this scale, Papagaryfallou pointed to Alpha Bank’s regional expansions. In Cyprus, the addition of AstroBank made Alpha Bank the third-largest bank in the market. Similarly, in Romania, the merger of Alpha Bank’s operations with UniCredit created the country’s third-largest bank.