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Morgan Stanley European Financials Conference

Mar 12, 2024

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Okay, it makes the cut, but the number three, revenue momentum in the Investment Bank. We'll touch upon that. So, Christian, let me start with a question on strategy. You have successfully completed the Compete to Win in 2022. You have now moved on to the Global House Bank Strategy, and you are really transforming the bank. So can you tell us, you know, where are you on that journey, and also what sort of feedback do you get from clients in how you're helping them as part of this strategy?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Yeah, thank you, Giulia, and good morning to everybody. I'm glad to be back here in London, despite the weather, I have to say, when I landed this morning, but it is what it is. Look, I'm obviously quite happy with the way we have built it up over the last five years because it was a very structured plan. We knew in 2019 that it's a kind of a two-phase transformation. The first phase was, as you said it, Compete to Win. This was all about resetting, focusing the bank, focusing on four running engines: the asset management, the private bank, taking the corporate bank out of the investment bank because for Deutsche Bank, the soul of this bank and the reason why Deutsche Bank exists and started to exist in 1980, 1970 is the corporate bank, and then a more focused investment bank.

At the same time, we knew that we were far too expensive. We had far too high costs, so we took EUR 3 billion of costs out, and we reduced the balance sheet by quite a lot, a 3-digit billion number in terms of leverage, a 2-digit billion number in terms of risk-weighted assets, so that we could finance the whole transformation by ourselves. I would say that this Compete to Win in the first three or four years, well, so actually three years, was decisive to give us then the foundation for what we announced in early 2022, the Global House Bank Strategy, where we said, "Now we want to sustainably grow." And in this regard, Giulia, I'm happy and I'm encouraged with the progress we have done.

And you have seen us at the start of the year where we increased actually the growth expectation we have across the bank. We used to have we announced a 3.5%-4.5% revenue increase for the years 2021 - 2025. We upped it now to 5.5%-6.5%. And everything what we said six weeks ago holds true. So I see these four engines running well. And in this regard, we can confirm our revenue target of EUR 30 billion for this year and EUR 32 billion in 2025. We are doing the progress, which we have to do, which was one of your questions on cost cuts, that we have the goal of EUR 2.5 billion, majority of that until 2025, and we are on a good way.

We are halfway through taking out the EUR 25 billion-EUR 30 billion of risk-weighted assets or having a relief there in order to free up more capital, which is then also used for distribution. So overall, I would say the first part, restructuring the bank, focusing the bank on the strengths, really helped us then to invest into the business. And the growth which we are now seeing and the investments which we have done in the various businesses are starting to pay off. So I'm happy. And then that's the feedback of the clients, whether it's corporate clients, private banking clients, institutional clients. They are actually, in my view, quite positive in working with Deutsche Bank. And of course, each re-rating we got also from the rating agencies helped us to, again, onboard or do more business. So overall, I think quite a nice story.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Thank you. And if I start with corporate and private bank, and I leave the investment bank for later. So at the full year results six weeks ago, you reported quite an exceptional performance, which in both corporate and private top lines, which was driven by strong net interest income. So can you talk a little bit more on the outlook for these businesses, corporate and private, in Q1 but also 2024 overall, in particular for the non-interest income revenue side of the business? And how do you see interest income normalizing instead?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Yeah, very happy to. So as you're saying, we were very pleased with both the results of the corporate bank and private banks on the top line in 2023. And you are right. It was also driven by net interest income. But I also have to say that actually there was a lot of talk already since June or July, in particular on the corporate side, that we will see NII to come down far more strongly than we have seen it. And I think we have done a good job in investing into the corporate bank for the last three or four years, actually, to build up other businesses than just focusing on NII. That was always our strategy, and this starts to pay off. We gave you the example in platform business, in the card business, in the Miles & More businesses.

All these contracts and mandates which we are winning are obviously helping to take a little bit the pressure off, which obviously we also see and which we also indicated to you when it comes to the NII outlook for 2024 overall, that we are trying to compensate that with other fee business. And also, again, also in the first quarter, I have to say that the NII development is still satisfactory. So I would say that in the first quarter, the corporate bank is kind of essentially flat with regard to the fourth quarter of 2023. And that shows, I think, the strengths of the bank in having a diversified business mix in the corporate bank, not only focusing on NII, but now the investments on fee-related business are really coming through.

Let me also say something else, and it may sound odd, but the geopolitical situations which we have around the world is actually a key reason why corporate clients are actually needing advice in building up a more diversified network, thinking about risk management tools. So what they need is actually a bank which is global. They would like to have, in particular in corporate banking, an alternative to the U.S. banks. And we have the global network. We have, through the investment bank, all the tools on the risk management side so that we can offer something to our clients, in particular in these quite challenging situations which we have around the world, which fits their needs. And therefore, it's another reason that we are doing quite well also in those businesses which are not NII-driven. On the private banking side, as you're also saying, a good year 2023.

I'm also encouraged, actually, by the start into the year, if I think about assets under management, going into the right direction. But of course, as we indicated for the overall group, we have a headwind in terms of NII in 2024 of approximately EUR 500 million-EUR 600 million in 2024. And in the private bank versus the fourth quarter of 2023, again, we are in the first quarter essentially flat, potentially slightly down versus the fourth quarter. But overall, I would say that also in the private bank, I can see with everything what we are building, very stable revenues actually in 2024. And then don't forget that given our positioning, we actually have on the NII side upside in 2025. So that's actually also giving me for the private banking side a lot of comfort.

Last but not least, we should not forget the big transformation of Unity is behind us. A lot of focus, managerial focus, even focus of salespeople, people who are doing the revenues, were done and were focused on the Unity transformation, i.e., doing the IT migration from Postbank to Deutsche Bank. That's behind us. So I actually see a lot of focus now on the client-related side. So overall, encouraged, but obviously, we need to take into account that what we said, that there is some NII headwind in 2024.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Excellent. Thank you. And if we move then to the investment bank and we start with fixed income, I think people find it a bit difficult to forecast. 2023 was very strong at EUR 8 billion. We have the ratings upgrade, which I think helped bringing new business in, potentially or potentially not, the Basel III endgame in the U.S. So how should we think about fixed income in Q1 but also for 2024?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Well, I'm positive. And I'm, again, quite happy with the start. But most of you know that I'm a risk manager by training, and we have today the March 12th. So we have approximately 14 business days left. And therefore, I never want to preclude too early on a quarter. But as far as I can see it right now, in the FIC business, where we actually outperformed our peers in 11 out of 14 quarters over the last three years, I think we have a chance to be slightly up year-over-year. Again, subject also to that there is not a change over the next days. But overall, I think Ram has built actually a fantastic FIC business around the world. I think we have gained market share, in particular in Europe. And you just said something very important, and that is the rating upgrades.

Don't underestimate also what the last rating upgrade of S&P meant to us in December. It is not the fact that this immediately goes into the revenue line, but it takes between three to six months in order to renegotiate the historic agreements and in order to kind of trade even more or to onboard new clients and then start trading. I think we have a good chance, actually, to actually be even up year-over-year also in FIC if we maintain that, what I can see.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Thank you. If I move on to instead origination advisory, two questions. Yes, the short term, everybody is really bullish about the pipeline coming back and DCM volumes seem on fire according to their logic. But also more strategically, the Numis acquisition. How is that going? What is that bringing to Deutsche?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Yeah, you have seen us potentially a little bit against the cycle that we invested last year, not only Numis, and I'm happy to talk about that, but also that we actually did selective hirings of 50-60 investment bankers around the world, in particular into our investment banking coverage, in order to strengthen our industry expertise, strengthen our seniority coverage around the world, but also go into regions where we used to focus on a decade or two or three decades ago. I've been with Deutsche Bank for 34 years, so I know that we were strong in Latin and South America. Then we reduced it, and now we are back, in particular in Mexico and Brazil, and have a team there. I'm excited, actually, how they started to actually run and hit the ball. That's really impressive.

Now, in the O&A business, as we heard from our colleagues, very strong start on the debt side, also on the leverage side, so really good momentum. But I would also say in the more capital light business, i.e., M&A, not that much ECM, but M&A, we can see a nice buildup of mandates. So everything what we invested a year ago is now actually starting off to pay benefits. And therefore, I know, again, it's early in the year, and therefore I have to say it like that. But for the first six or seven weeks in the year, our market share in the O&A actually increased by 90 basis points.

Now, if you think about if you just think about what that could mean in case we are able to run with that increased market share through the year and this is exactly, by the way, what we were targeting. We were targeting increasing the market share in O&A to 3%. We are now approximately at 2.7%-2.8%. So if we think about that, there is a fee pool of whatever, EUR 70 billion or up to EUR 80 billion this year. 1% market share is a lot of money. And this is exactly what we can see in the first six to eight weeks. And again, it goes back to the point I said before. The corporates around the world want to have and are in need of more strategic advice, also to think about the risks, diversification than kind of ever before, at least in the last 10 years.

For that, they would like to have a European alternative. That's what we are trying to grab. So I'm quite encouraged here with the start. But of course, in particular, if ECM and M&A is further driving, then we will even see then better numbers. On the Numis, I'm really happy that we have done it. It's not only in addition to our investment bank. I'm standing, and I really do believe that Deutsche Bank is the house bank for corporate clients. That means that we are not only doing the strategic advice, but that we can actually offer to these clients also the day-to-day banking.

That is the major change, what we have seen over the last four or five years, that Deutsche Bank, with our existing client base, we have shown them that we are in to do everything, not only the strategic advice, but we want to be the provider day by day of those needs which are as important like a strategic advice. That is cash management. That is trade finance. That is the day-to-day guarantee business. I want to make sure that every treasurer knows exactly that when he or she goes into her office on a Monday morning, that salary payments are done, that cash management around the world is done, that we have the up-to-date systems. That is what Deutsche Bank is all about.

If we are good on that level, and here we are good, you have seen the development of the corporate bank. Automatically, you get the trust and the belief of the C-suite. Then we are also qualifying for strategic business. Therefore, Numis is really interesting for us because obviously, it gives us the access to 170 corporate clients in the U.K. The overlap is quite, quite limited. It's actually less than 10 clients in the U.K., which we had. We also have now the inroads to also offer other services like corporate banking or private wealth management.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Perfect. Thank you. That was very useful. If I now change topic and talk about asset quality, I have to ask about asset quality. 2023 cost of risk, 31 basis points, and guidance is still for 25-30 basis points. There doesn't seem to be any deterioration. How are you seeing it in your book? Is there any area that you're looking at more closely, anything that worries you or still very benign?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Well, no, there is nothing which really worries me because I think we have seen for years and years that we haven't done quite a bad job in underwriting credits, even through times where Deutsche Bank was overall having potentially other challenges. On the credit side, actually, we did well, and we kept this underwriting profile, this underwriting discipline. So it's not that I'm worried. But I would say that 2024 is a year where we are, again, seeing for our standards elevated provisions. And that means we are between 25 and 30 basis points. And I would not be surprised if we are at the upper range of these 25-30 basis points for the year because there are a lot of uncertainties in this world. We have asset classes like commercial real estate, which obviously face some challenges.

Therefore, I'm confident that we are within that range, but at the higher end of the range. And I would even say how the overall loan loss provisions are stacking up, that I personally think that we see loan loss provisions in Q1 and Q2, which are closer to the Q4 loan loss provisions. And then we see some relaxation, actually, in Q3 and Q4. So overall, confirmation of that, what we said, the range. But given where the world is, I would say it's a little bit more on the high side of the 25-30.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Right. And specifically, so let me follow up there on commercial real estate, right, because you've got some exposure in the U.S. as well and, of course, in Germany, some more. So what are you seeing there? Is the environment deteriorating, or how are you assessing your portfolio?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

No, there is no deterioration. Also in the quality of our book versus that, what we have said at year end, really, no deterioration. But it's also not that we are now seeing the big rally in that asset class. But what makes me comfortable with that portfolio is that the U.S. real estate portfolio, which we have in our focus, is EUR 17 billion, so 1/7. Out of that, we have EUR 7 billion in the office building. And out of that, we have 85% in Class A real estate. So I would say that we see, to your question, 2024 provisions for commercial real estate in line with 2023. I don't see a deterioration. But certainly, this year is, in my view, a year where real estate where you don't see a big relief to the overall challenges in that asset class.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

I'll open it up to the floor shortly, but I just want to ask a couple of more questions. One is on cost. So high conviction on the EUR 5 billion number is what we heard. EUR 5 billion per quarter underlying number is what we heard in Q4 call. But yet, in Q4, you were at EUR 5.3 billion. So can you just give us an update on how is the project on stabilizing on that EUR 20 billion per year going?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

EUR 5 billion for the first quarter, I promise that we will make it happen. It will be the case. I'm quite confident that we will be also around the EUR 20 billion, which we indicated already for 2024. We are working on a EUR 5 billion for each quarter. Now, I can't give you now for Q2 and Q3 the forecast for the last EUR 10 million, but you have my full confidence on EUR 5.0 billion for Q1. Overall, why? Because I can see each and every program. We have EUR 2.5 billion of cost takeouts. Out of that, EUR 1.3 billion have been realized. Either it's already in the savings, or it's completed, and we know it's now coming into the savings.

For the rest of EUR 1.2 billion, we know up to a single-digit cost measure where we stand and when it's implemented and when we can see the impact on the P&L. Actually, we are even working on initiatives beyond EUR 2.5 billion. I don't want to commit to that yet, but we are, of course, working to that. And the maturity phase, the way Rebecca is tracking that on a week-by-week basis, gives me all the confidence that this cost goal, which we have given to the market, is something which we will achieve.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

In 2024 and 2025. So you see it as a flat, essentially.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

That is our goal. Again, I will not for now, for 2024, give you the last confirmation on the EUR 10 million, but the EUR 5 billion per quarter, on average, is our target. And for the first quarter, we will achieve it.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Thanks. Capital. So Deutsche seems to have hit a sort of inflection point, right? Now, we're talking about capital distribution. You promised EUR 8 billion, probably well, for sure, you will be above that. So when you think about capital allocation, what is your priority between capital distribution, business growth, and other uses like, I don't know, potentially some bolt-ons?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Well, first of all, I'm quite happy with the capital management exercise which we have done. That only brought us into the position, Giulia, that what we said that we would like to target, and are targeting, a 50%/50% allocation, 50% distribution, 50% using for business growth, and potentially also a little bit for regulatory items, which still may come. We really would like to go for this equal allocation. On that, we made it clear that we have this or we want to continue on our path to increase the distribution by 50% year-over-year.

And with the progress which we have done, not only on our profitability, but also under James and Olivier's leadership to get EUR 25 billion-EUR 30 billion of risk-weighted assets down, and that we are already at the end of last year, I think we achieved now I need to look, I think, EUR 13.1 billion at the end of December. And obviously, this is an exercise which works on a weekly basis to think about where else can we take capital out, how can we reprice. That makes me comfortable and very confident that we can achieve our goal to absolutely and substantially allocate out of the EUR 3 billion of additional capital, a substantial part to the investors.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

That's clear. Thank you. So let me see if we have questions from the room. One, Arancha, I think.

Speaker 4

Yeah. Good morning. What would be your worst possible scenario for accomplishing your plans? Would it be that the economies accelerate globally, and then your absolute cost target gets impacted by the need to grow risk-weighted assets revenues faster? Or would it be the opposite, that actually Germany and global PMIs never recover?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Look, the answer to that question is neither of your suggestions. The answer is that we would lose management discipline. This bank has such a potential on the revenue side. And if we keep the discipline in underwriting our risks and managing the cost and therefore, I was just so firm on the cost number now in the first quarter. It's all about discipline. It's all about transparency. It's all about giving out plans, monitor these plans, having structural cost release over the next month and quarters, and working that down. And therefore, I would say the biggest risk of not meeting our plan, as far as I can see it right now, is actually that we would kind of lose the management discipline to continue the way which we have done over the last three or four years.

And that's, in particular, my task, to again and again have this rigor, that discipline, and also this call for action and always this sense of urgency. Look, on the overall global economic development, the nice thing about Deutsche Bank is it's actually our regional diversification. So our home revenues are between 35%-40% of our total group revenues. Germany, as we all know, is struggling for the time being in terms of growth. We have a zero growth in that country. Actually, it doesn't really impact us because the corporates which we are working, usually, their export ratio is 50%-60%. We are doing a lot of international trade business with them. And this is not even bothered by, for instance, the regional development. We are strong in the U.S. We are very strong in Asia. The trade corridor Asia-Europe is working pretty well.

As I said, in particular, in times of geopolitical uncertainties, the need of corporates but also private clients to actually get advice from banks is very, very high. From that, we are benefiting. I would go back to the point. It's actually our discipline and our clarity of managing this bank into the direction we set forth. If we continue that, I'm actually quite relaxed.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Let me see if there are others. Yes, there is another question over here.

Speaker 5

Hi. Hope all's well.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Hey. How are you?

Speaker 5

Good. Just to ask about using capital beyond looking inwards. It sounds like there's a big focus on executing internally, but you did do Numis. How do you feel about further acquisitions, whether it be similar to that or beyond in asset management, beyond banking, et cetera? Thanks.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Look, it is always hard, and it is wrong to exclude something completely. And therefore, in particular, if we see what we have done with Numis, if there is a brilliant opportunity, in particular in the corporate bank or in the asset management, that we have an addition kind of we call it an add-on, not a big acquisition or a merger or something like that, but a smaller size, of course, we are looking into the market, what kind of offerings are there also from a technology point of view. But I would tell you, we are rather conservative there because I think each and every even if it's a small add-on acquisition, takes a lot of managerial capacity. There is always a risk attached to it from a cultural integration.

Therefore, I think also with the past Deutsche Bank has and again, I've seen that over the last 30 years, there must be a lot of convincing arguments to go for another smaller add-on. But if I would completely rule that out, I wouldn't be honest. But the real focus of this management team is organically grow this company. And that's, again, what I can see with the feedback we get from corporates and private clients. Now, we fixed also a lot of things on the regulatory side. There are still things which we need to do better. But it also means that we can think about growing again, for instance, in institutional cash management. It's a real good business where we are now onboarding clients again. That is all organic. And I rather grow organically than taking the risk of buying something.

Therefore, I have a clear preference.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Perfect. Let's see if we have another one here. The microphone is coming. No, third, fourth. One, two, three. Third row.

Speaker 6

Hi. Good morning. Just one quick one. I think your CFO made a comment a few weeks ago around the AT1 not being really a product you guys like. And I wonder if you have anything to add to that.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Well, my CFO is so good that I would never say something different than he does. But again, I mean, for that, I can tell you I can tell you at least now a funny story with James. When we issued the last AT1, I was actually saying, "Oh, this is a bit expensive." That was in January last year. And I will never, ever doubt again what he is telling me to do on AT1 because it was exactly the right thing at that point in time to do it. So he is in full control.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Okay. We have two questions. Let's go at the back first.

Alex Koagne
Fund Manager, Oddo BHF

Yes. Hi. Alex Koagne from Oddo BHF. I was just wondering if there's any incentive today to keep DWS listed because obviously, the fact that they distribute the excess capital means that there is no M&A in sight. And one of the reasons why the company was listed was for M&A. So is there any incentive today for you to keep DWS listed?

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Look, first of all, I think Stefan Hoops is somewhere in the room. And if we have to discuss something, then he and I do it first. And James, who is in the supervisory board of DWS and responsible in the management board for DWS. I think, by the way, there were more reasons to list DWS than just doing M&A. And by the way, I would, as I said on the other question, if there is something which would make sense and irrespective now of the size, again, I couldn't rule that out in full. But I think also for other reasons, as DWS is completely different regulated, it is actually good to have a legal entity and the way we have structured it. Then you have an acquisition currency, which is good. So I don't think that it was the one and the only reason.

For the time being, I wouldn't see any necessity to change that.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Yes. We had a question on the first row here.

Speaker 7

Sorry, if I can follow up on your comments on the U.S. commercial real estate, if you could give us a little bit more outlook for asset quality in that book. Obviously, still a lot of concern in that sector, especially in the regionals. There is concern that as more transaction happens, some of these properties need to be revalued. You did take some provisions in last quarter. Just in the outlook for next 12 months in terms of having to do more modifications or having to take more provisions in that book, it'd be great if you give any kind of thank you.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Yeah. I hope you don't take it the wrong way. But I can't say more than I just said. We believe that overall, in the commercial real estate portfolio, we will see in 2024 provisions in line with 2023. And of course, 2023 was elevated versus the normal years in commercial real estate. So there is no deterioration. But there is also not kind of signs of improvements here. Now, it's always hard to talk about an asset class, so to say, across the sector because each and every bank and I was 20 years in risk management, you have different underwriting standards. You have different methodologies also when it comes to structure a loan.

We are very early in the process with our borrowers and in particular with the sponsors to think about early extensions, the way the team is engaged, starting, by the way, obviously, in the first line of defense, not even in the second line of defense, but in the first line of defense, to think about early extensions, early restructurings. Actually, if you do it right, it can also take pressure off the portfolio. Therefore, I would say, and this is my best assessment and I think also a conservative assessment, 2024 in that portfolio for us is like 2023. Again, at the end of the day, I understand that there is a lot of discussion on that asset class. With a EUR 500 billion loan book, EUR 7 billion of that is in office buildings in the U.S.

Sometimes, I think the talk about that portfolio is a bit too much. Our pre-provision of this bank is, if you take the pre-provision last year of this bank, i.e., pretax profits prior to loan loss provisions, around EUR 7 billion. Obviously, we do everything in 2024 to further increase it. Even if there is EUR 20 million, EUR 30 million, or EUR 40 million more euros in loan loss provisions, it doesn't concern me. We have an eye on it. We have a fantastic risk management. We have a good first line of defense. We are in early discussions with the sponsors. So I feel okay with it.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Do we have further questions? Yes. It's coming. It's coming here.

Speaker 8

I have a generic question about the ECB, which will unveil its operational framework tomorrow. I think this would not be neutral for banks. I am curious to know your view about that and potentially if implementing permanent liquidity framework for banks is a game changer in terms of risk perception.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Look, I don't want to now judge on, so to say, not individual items which they will or sector-specific items which they will implement. But let me first say that I think the ECB has done, in my view, a really good job over the last 12 months. And it's unusual that CEOs are praising the regulators. But a year ago, I remember well when I was sitting here a year ago, it was a week before the takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS happened. And you also know what happened with us on the 23rd or 24th of March. And of course, there were thoughts or concerns on our side that it could result in a, and I don't mean that negative. But for us, it is a negative knee-jerk reaction for banks with regard to liquidity, with regard to capital.

I think the ECB really reacted in a very mature way. They have seen that also given actually their decisions which they have taken over the last 10 years, they strengthened the banking sector. I think overall, the European banking sector is not only mature but very robust, not only from a balance sheet point of view, from a liquidity point of view, but also from an earnings point of view, sustainable, profitable. I'm really glad that this kind of conviction that we have a solid banking sector which can withstand issues like we have seen last year, but in particular, also issues which we have seen with the regional banks in the U.S., that they took a very calm approach. Now, why do I tell you that?

I also think that the ECB is aware that the financial institutions and the banking sector, again, in particular, in the geopolitical situations where we are globally. I'm always telling the politicians and the regulators, banking is a strategic industry. We need our own European large banks in order to make sure that we have our banks from a strategic financing point of view to go forward. And I think the ECB is and has realized that. And therefore, I'm not nervous about any decisions which will materially disadvantage now European banks. And I think it's also time to say that at some point.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Thanks. Do we have other questions? Maybe if I can quickly follow up on the regulatory front, there is a lot of discussion in the U.S. instead about the Basel III endgame. So how are you seeing that play out? In the short term, I don't know. Do you see more opportunity for business? In the long term, what do you expect? And we only have five minutes. You can speak for hours.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

No, no, no. I'm not talking for five minutes. But this is a European financial conference, right? So there is not one of my U.S. colleagues coming tomorrow, right?

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

No.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

I'm just joking. Look, I think I don't know at the end of the day what's happening there. Obviously, there is a lot of discussion, in particular after that, what happened last year with the regional banks. At the end of the day, as much as I can interpret what we see in the U.S. with our operations, but what I also hear from my colleagues, we will see an increase in capital requirements, in particular, in certain businesses, also in the U.S. Now, the key question is, what does it mean for us? We have a clear strategy in the U.S. You need to be if you want to be a globally active bank and where you are advising corporate clients, private wealth management, individual clients, and institutional clients, you cannot be globally successful without being in the U.S.

But there are pockets, in particular, also in the markets business where we do think with the successful restructuring and turnaround and now with the development Ram has shown, in particular, in Europe, also in many parts of Asia, that we have a chance actually to grow revenues in the U.S. And there are plans that in the one or the other trading business where we feel we are close to our clients, we have the right products, and we have the right front-to-back processes, that we can attack there. And that's what we are. That's what we want to do. But that decision is irrespective of how the outcome of the Basel issue is in the U.S. I would expect a bit more higher capital requirements from them. How much, I cannot tell you.

You can also have trust in the lobby work of my colleagues in the U.S., I'm sure.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Right. Can I check if we have any final questions? Yes. In the front line here.

Speaker 9

Thank you. Just a quick question. Going back to CRE in Germany, some of the specialized banks are challenged. What could be the contagion? Or what could be your role to help with solution? What could be the impact on the macro environment? How do you see what's going on? Thank you.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Look, I'm not commenting and talking about other banks. I don't like that. I was always happy when we were having some challenging times if others were not talking about us. But I do believe that last Thursday actually was quite a good day in terms of transparency, in terms of news from the bank you are mentioning. The best thing for us is that banks can show that they can handle potential challenging situations by themselves. I have overall full trust. You know who the CEO of that bank is. He used to be a former risk manager of Deutsche Bank. So he will do a good job.

Giulia Aurora Miotto
Executive Director of Equity Research and European Banks, Morgan Stanley

Christian, thank you very much.

Christian Sewing
CEO, Deutsche Bank

Thank you.

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