Deutsche Bank Announces CFO Succession and Management Board Changes

Deutsche Bank has revealed a series of changes to its management structure as it looks towards the next phase of its growth strategy. A key development is the appointment of Raja Akram as the designated Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who will succeed James von Moltke. Von Moltke, who has served as CFO for eight years and also holds the title of President, will not seek another term when his contract expires in June 2026. He will continue in his current roles until the transition is complete.

Akram will join Deutsche Bank on October 1, 2025, become a member of the Management Board on January 1, 2026, and will officially assume the CFO responsibilities after a transition period. He joins from Morgan Stanley, where he has been Deputy Chief Financial Officer since 2020. Prior to that, Akram held various leadership positions in finance at Citigroup for 14 years. He will be based in Frankfurt.

Alexander Wynaendts, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, expressed gratitude for von Moltke's contributions, stating, "James von Moltke has been instrumental in Deutsche Bank's successful turnaround... We are grateful for James's significant contributions to the bank." He added that the handover to Akram comes at a "natural point in time" as the current strategy cycle concludes.

Christian Sewing, Chief Executive Officer, expressed his enthusiasm for working with Akram, saying, "I am very much looking forward to working with Raja Akram, who enjoys an excellent reputation as one of the most capable finance managers in the industry... At the same time, I would like to thank James sincerely for our excellent partnership..."

Raja Akram himself commented on his new role, stating, "I'm honoured to join Deutsche Bank, which is Europe's leading bank with global reach. I have been impressed with the bank's transformation in recent years and the immense growth potential and greatly look forward to working with Christian and the rest of the Management Board to further drive the next phase in the bank's success."

In addition to the CFO succession, the Supervisory Board has extended Christian Sewing's contract until April 2029 and Fabrizio Campelli's contract, who heads the Corporate Bank and Investment Bank, until October 2028. Wynaendts noted that these extensions ensure "continuity in key management roles." Furthermore, Campelli will take on the regional responsibility for the Americas, effective May 1, 2025, succeeding Stefan Simon, who is leaving the bank for personal reasons. An interim CEO for the Americas, Paul Maley, has been appointed, subject to regulatory approvals, while a permanent replacement will be named later. Stefan Simon's responsibilities for Legal & Group Governance will be integrated into Christian Sewing's portfolio.