Jean-Christophe Laloux has been appointed the next Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund (EIF) and will take up the role on 1 January 2027.
He will succeed Marjut Falkstedt, who announced in June that she intends to retire next year, the EIF announced on Monday.
The EIF is part of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group and describes itself as Europe’s largest venture capital and private equity financier.
The fund’s Board of Directors includes representatives of the EIB, the European Commission and other public and private shareholders.
Nadia Calviño, the EIB Group President and chair of the EIF board, said Laloux has “a proven ability to design and deliver innovative financing instruments”.
Laloux is currently Director General in charge of the EIB’s Lending and Advisory Operations within the European Union.
Track record at the EIB
During more than a decade managing EIB operations, Laloux oversaw the development of financing tools including venture debt products for high-growth technology companies, risk-sharing instruments, green bond anchor investments and counter-guarantee schemes, according to the EIF.
He joined the EIB in 1999 and has held leadership and operational roles focused on financing innovation, infrastructure, climate action and private sector growth.
“The EIF serves at the crossroads of European economic priorities: equity and guarantees for start-ups, scale-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises,” Laloux said.
Falkstedt has led the EIF since January 2023 and oversaw the launch and implementation of the European Tech Champions Initiative, as well as preparation of a successor programme called ETCI 2.0.
During her tenure, green finance expanded to more than a third of annual operations and the EIF increased its equity investments to more than €7 billion a year.
