FILE PHOTO - Bank Austria CEO Erich Hampel attends a news conference in Vienna March 18, 2009. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

(Reuters) - Italian lender UniCredit CRDI.MI on Thursday said that its Austrian business's Chairman Erich Hampel has resigned from the Board and will also step down from all other functions within the group.

Ranieri De Marchis, the vice chairman of the supervisory Board of UniCredit Bank Austria AG, will chair it until the nomination of a successor, the lender said.

The statement did not mention the reason for the resignation.