Solaris reshapes leadership as new executives take the helm in 2026

Solaris has announced a major leadership transition within its Management Board. The changes follow a planned succession process and come after SBI acquired a majority stake in the company last year. Two new executives will now take charge as the firm prepares to refine its strategic direction across Europe.

Carsten Höltkemeyer, the outgoing CEO, stepped down at the end of 2025 but will remain with Solaris in an advisory role. Alongside him, Ansgar Finken, the former Chief Risk Officer, has also left the Management Board, though he will continue to offer guidance during the transition.

The new CEO, Steffen Jentsch, brings years of financial industry experience to the position. He previously served as Chief Information Officer and Chief Process Officer at flatexDEGIRO AG and flatexDEGIRO Bank AG. Taking over as Chief Risk Officer, Matthias Heinrich has held senior roles at Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark, Santander Consumer Bank, and Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank.

Yasuhiro Fujiki, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, thanked Höltkemeyer and Finken for their contributions while welcoming Jentsch and Heinrich to their new positions. Yoshitaka Kitao, CEO of SBI Holdings, also highlighted Solaris' importance to the group following the €140 million Series G funding round in February 2025.

Before SBI's acquisition, Solaris had already expanded its client base and transaction volumes, solidifying its position as Europe's leading embedded finance infrastructure provider. Competitors like Railsbank and Mambu also grew during this period, adding pressure to maintain market leadership.

The new management team will now focus on shaping Solaris' future strategy over the coming months. Their priority will be driving scalable, compliant growth across Europe. Additional appointments to strengthen the leadership team are expected soon.