Our remit

What we do

Whom we represent

The National Association of German Cooperative Banks (BVR) is the umbrella association for the cooperative banking sector in Germany. Our members are all of the cooperative banks:

Local cooperative banks
PSD banks
Sparda banks
Banking institution for churches
Cooperative specialized institutions
Cooperative central institution
Companies in the Cooperative Financial Network
Cooperative auditors' associations

Our remit at a glance

We represent the interests of the Cooperative Financial Network at both national and international levels.
We coordinate and develop the joint strategy within the Network.
We advise and support our members on legal, taxation, and business management issues.
We inform our members about the latest developments in the economy, politics, and banking.
The Cooperative Financial Network's protection scheme, Germany's oldest deposit guarantee fund for banks, is run by the BVR.

Our lobbying in Europe

To ensure the interests of the cooperative banks the BVR operates a political liaison office, which coordinates activities in Berlin and Brussels. The BVR takes up the concerns of its member banks, formulates what they expect from the German government and EU institutions, represents their views in committees, and forms alliances with partners both within Germany and throughout Europe.

Collaboration at EU level

As an active member of the European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB), the BVR also promotes close collaboration between the local cooperative banks at European level and the communication of shared interests to EU institutions. Through the European Banking Industry Committee (EBIC), the BVR communicates the interests of the European banking industry to EU institutions and monitors regulatory initiatives of the European Commission and the definition of standards for the financial services sector.

By-laws (only available in German)PDF (270 KB)

Our organization

How does the BVR operate?

Board of Managing Directors, Association Council, Administrative Board, and general meeting of members – these four governing bodies carry out the BVR's duties as an association.

General meeting of members

The place for democratic decision-making in the Cooperative Financial Network is the general meeting of members, at which every institution has a vote, irrespective of its size. It convenes at least once a year.

Association Council

The Association Council comprises up to 50 members, 12 of whom make up the Administrative Board. The Association Council decides on the Network's strategic direction. It approves the strategic projects devised by special committees.

Administrative Board

The Administrative Board advises the Board of Managing Directors on matters of banking business and banking policy. It also has the job of supervising the Board of Managing Directors and monitors how the Board of Managing Directors runs the protection scheme.

Board of Managing Directors

The three-strong Board of Managing Directors, which is appointed by the Administrative Board, manages the BVR's business operations and represents the BVR externally.

Areas of activity

The BVR's organizational structure reflects the main functional areas of its member banks: market, production, and strategic planning/management. Other areas of focus are the protection scheme, economics, legal affairs and tax law, business policy, and media/communications. The BVR is represented on the supervisory bodies of the large companies in the Cooperative Financial Network, thereby ensuring that they have the same strategic direction.

Our Board of Managing Directors

show more Informationen about Marija Kolak

show more Informationen about Tanja Müller-Ziegler

show more Informationen about Daniel Quinten

Marija Kolak,

Member of the Board of Managing Directors and President

Tanja Müller-Ziegler,

Member of the Board of Managing Directors

Daniel Quinten
Member of the Board of Managing Directors

Marija Kolak, President

Born July 21, 1970 in Dakovo, Croatia

2018	President of the BVR, Berlin
2016	Member of the Board of Managing Directors of Berliner Volksbank
2016	Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School Executive Education, Boston
2015	Berliner Volksbank, Executive Vice President
2012 - 2015	BVR, Head of Marketing Division and Manager of the Special Committees for Market and Products
2012	BVR, Head of Market Department and Manager of Market Special Committee
2002 - 2012	Berliner Volksbank, various management roles: Marketing Director; Deputy Head of Division, Sales Management; Head of Department, Product and Target Group Management, Corporate Customers; Head of Home Finance Center; Head of Real Estate Center
1998	Berliner Volksbank

Tanja Müller-Ziegler, Member of the Board of Managing Directors

Born May 29, 1972 in Aalen, Germany

since April 1, 2023	Member of the Board of Managing Directors of the BVR, Berlin; responsible among other for business administration and strategic management, bank technology and innovation, payments processing, HR management und strategic portfolio coordination
2014 - 2023	Member of the Board of Managing Directors of Berliner Sparkasse Branch of Landesbank Berlin AG, responsible for retail and corporate customers, finance and third-party cards, foundations
2013 - 2014	Deputy Member of the Board of Managing Directors of Berliner Volksbank
1998 - 2010	Berliner Volksbank, various managerial roles: General Executive Manager; Head of Division, Regional Customer Business for Retail and Corporate Customers, Berlin and Brandenburg region; Director, Sales Management for Retail and Corporate Customers; Director, Central Services; Head of Department, Strategic Implementation Control
2009	Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School Executive Education, Boston
1996	Graduated with a degree in economics (Dipl. Oec.) from the University of Augsburg

Daniel Quinten, Member of the Board of Managing Directors

Born September 9, 1974 in Dillingen / Saar, Germany

since January 1, 2022	Member of the Board of Managing Directors of the National Association of German Cooperative Banks
since 2014	Partner at KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, responsible for establishing and co-managing KPMG’s ECB Office and co-managing the Risk & Treasury advisory and audit team in the Financial Services department
2011-2013	Head of the Banking Supervision Law and International Banking Supervision division at Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt/Main
2006-2011	Head of the Office of the Vice-President of Deutsche Bundesbank, Frankfurt/Main
1999	Graduated with a degree in economics

BVR - May 6, 2014, 12:00:00 PM
URL: https://www.bvr.de/Wer_wir_sind/Unsere_Aufgaben