Biographical note: Günter Pleines, former Head of Banking Department

Günter Pleines was Head of the Banking Department from 1 April 2005 to 30 April 2013.

Mr Pleines joined the BIS in 1981 and assumed increasingly senior responsibilities in the Banking Department. In 1988, he was named to head the BIS Treasury and in 1997 was appointed Deputy Head of Banking.

Before coming to the BIS, Mr Pleines served in various capacities at the Landeszentralbank Hessen and at the Deutsche Bundesbank - both in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Mr Pleines trained at Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt am Main, holds an advanced degree in business administration from Goethe University Frankfurt, and received executive training at the Deutsche Bundesbank.