FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH International Marketing of the Region (FRM GmbH) visited London with a delegation led by Mayor Mike Josef to engage with leading representatives of London’s financial and business community. The aim of the visit was to strengthen existing contacts, discuss current regulatory and economic developments, and position Frankfurt and the RheinMain metropolitan region as a high-performing hub for financial and technology companies. The delegation accompanying the Mayor of Frankfurt included, among others, Dr Sabine Mauderer, Vice-President of the Deutsche Bundesbank; Stephanie Wüst, Head of the Department for Economic Affairs, Legal Affairs and City Marketing at the City of Frankfurt; Eric Menges, CEO of FRM GmbH; Frank Scheidig, Global Head of Senior Executive Banking at DZ BANK AG and Member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Rhine-Main Regional Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany (BCCG), Dr Ingrid Hengster, Head of Germany at the major British bank Barclays, Hubertus Väth, Managing Director of Frankfurt Main Finance e.V., and Nicolo Salsano, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank AG and member of the Executive Board of the Association of International Banks.
Mike Josef, Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of FRM GmbH: “With our visit to London, we are continuing our dialogue with one of the world’s most important financial centres. Ten years after Brexit, many international companies are still facing strategic decisions regarding their location within Europe. Against the backdrop of new regulatory requirements such as CRD VI, current developments in the banking sector and the growing importance of technology and FinTech companies, it is important to keep the lines of communication open. Our aim is to position Frankfurt and the Frankfurt RheinMain region as a stable, efficient and attractive location within the European Union, not least with regard to quality of life for international professionals.”
A key item on the itinerary was the “Frankfurt meets London” event organised by FRM GmbH. The focus was on personal exchanges, maintaining existing contacts and discussing current developments in the financial and economic sectors.
In his presentation entitled “Frankfurt RheinMain as a European Business Powerhub”, Eric Menges promoted the strengths of the metropolitan region to representatives of the London financial centre. A particular highlight: Dr Jörg Kukies, former Finance Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, joined the event at short notice and, in his speech, highlighted the opportunities offered by Germany and the metropolitan region. He also announced that he would be moving to Frankfurt in November to take up the role of Country Head for Germany and Austria, as well as that of CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Morgan Stanley Europe SE Group.
Following the Business Breakfast, a discussion took place with Howard Dawber, London’s Deputy Mayor for Business. London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, joined the meeting at short notice and exchanged views with Mike Josef, Mayor of Frankfurt. The discussion focused on the close ties between Frankfurt and London, as well as the further strengthening of economic relations between the two cities.
Another item on the agenda was a lunch meeting with Jérôme Stern, managing partner of J. Stern & Co. The bank is currently re-establishing itself in Frankfurt, thereby consciously reconnecting with its historical roots. As a financial institution steeped in tradition, it had previously been closely linked to the financial centre before being forced to emigrate during the Nazi era. The return to Frankfurt thus represents not only an economic reorganisation, but also a reconnection with a long-interrupted history and a renewed anchoring in the international financial centre.
In the evening, members of the Frankfurt RheinMain Delegation gathered at Deutsche Bank’s premises for an executive dinner with representatives of the London financial centre. In a confidential setting, the event provided an opportunity for discussions on current developments in the European financial services landscape, as well as for an open exchange on investment and cooperation opportunities between the two financial centres. Among those attending the dinner were Fabrizio Campelli, a member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Bank AG, and Vathany Vijayaratna, CEO of Deutsche Bank for the UK and Ireland.
“Ten years after the Brexit vote, companies are still relocating functions and staff between international locations. The visit is explicitly not aimed at specifically moving employees from London to Frankfurt. Rather, the aim is to ensure that Frankfurt and the RheinMain metropolitan region remain among the top location options for companies undergoing internal restructuring within the EU,” said Eric Menges, CEO of FRM GmbH.
The trip followed on from a visit in 2024. Since then, the regulatory framework in the banking sector within the European Union has evolved significantly. Against this backdrop, international banks are increasingly reviewing their structures and location decisions and are showing a growing interest in expanding their presence in Frankfurt. A key driver of these developments is the new CRD VI (Capital Requirements Directive VI) regulatory framework, which introduces enhanced European capital and governance requirements. In this context, Frankfurt is gaining further significance as the European Union’s central regulatory hub.
Further impetus is provided by the planned reform of the German pension system, which opens up new opportunities for financial institutions. Here too, Frankfurt is positioning itself as a high-performing hub with extensive expertise in asset management, banking and financial services.
Another focus of the trip was the technology sector. Numerous London-based technology companies are set to expand into the EU in the medium to long term and are seeking locations with strong customer potential, regulatory stability and a wide pool of skilled workers. Frankfurt RheinMain offers the ideal conditions for this: the local start-up ecosystem has developed very dynamically in recent years and has gained significant visibility.