Rewind to the pre-Covid era, and you find Deutsche Bank at a crossroads. In July 2019, just over a year after being named chief executive, Christian Sewing described plans to transform the German lender as “nothing short of” a complete reinvention. Senior executives were axed. Entire businesses were closed.
The corporate bank was once again placed at the heart of the operation.
“This is the business that we were founded for,” Sewing said, pledging to make it “stronger than ever before”.
Today, only those with the hardest of hearts could deny that he has delivered on his promises. The bank’s shares have since risen 86%. In 2023, Euromoney named Sewing our Banker of the Year, lauding his bold, clear-eyed strategy and Deutsche’s newfound resilience.
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