Why does everyone hate Deutsche Bank?

I've seen on this forum and several others, Deutsche Bank really doesn't seem that well regarded by you guys. Regarded as a 2nd tier bank, outside the top 10, and ommitted from "top bank" lists.

Why? Some people in the know consider it one of the world's top firms, and their number 1-2 choice for certain products.

Obviously for USA M&A it doesn't have a chance of competing with the big American houses, but it's slowly gaining share, whilst their European and Asian M&A operations are extremely solid.

Meanwhile, their Global Markets division is top dog - their FX and Bond divisions are often considered #1 in the world, overall their Fixed Income operations are certainly Top 3 globally and often considered #1. Again, extremely solid in Europe and Asia-Pacific, and mediocre but gaining share in USA.

All that puts them overall as a top house, without doubt a top 10 player. I'd consider these "top" banks, rounded and "good" at everything -

Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch Citi, UBS, Deutsche Bank Lehman Bros, Credit Suisse

And I thought the above would be pretty unanimous. Thoughts?

21 Comments
 

I could ask the opposite question as well: Why do people in the UK go nuts for Deutsche Bank when in the rest of the world it isn't really considered the creme de la creme?

Guess it comes down to different perceptions in different locations.

 
Best Response
nauruI could ask the opposite question as well: Why do people in the UK go nuts for Deutsche Bank when in the rest of the world it isn't really considered the creme de la creme?

Guess it comes down to different perceptions in different locations.

Most people I know, when we talk about banks, we take the global perspective into account, not just the office. Deutsche-lovers acknowledge that DB are weak for the IBD side, but the fact it is a fixed income powerhouse over-rides that if they want to do trading. Likewise, people outside USA will acknowledge that BofA, Wachovia etc are good even if virtually non-existent in Europe.

But even in USA, surely DB would be regarded a top 10 bank? It's sales and trading products often get ranked 7-9th, its CorpFin franchise maybe 9-11th (if you're talking major firms, not M&A-only boutiques). So why is it considered 2nd tier, wouldn't the top ~10 banks be worthy of 1st tier status?

 

I could ask you why you give a fuck what others think. If your there and you like it then so be it and fuck everyone else. Wall street is not a popularity contest.

"Oh - the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion?"

"Oh the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion" - Frank Slaughtery 25th Hour.
 
trade4sizeI could ask you why you give a fuck what others think. If your there and you like it then so be it and fuck everyone else.
Lol... it's only natural to give a damn what other people think. If you honestly couldn't care less in the slightest, good for you. Some of us otoh get rather annoyed that some people may instantly think of you as an inferior 2nd tier person not good enough to get into MS, ML, JPM etc, when that's certainly not the case!
 
badam
trade4sizeI could ask you why you give a fuck what others think. If your there and you like it then so be it and fuck everyone else.
Lol... it's only natural to give a damn what other people think. If you honestly couldn't care less in the slightest, good for you. Some of us otoh get rather annoyed that some people may instantly think of you as an inferior 2nd tier person not good enough to get into MS, ML, JPM etc, when that's certainly not the case!

This sort of judgement of others as an "inferior, second tier person" based on what company they work for is certainly something I've seen much more of in the UK than anywhere else I've lived. Maybe if you stop buying into British culture so much you won't feel so insecure about what you do and where you do it.

 

Badam you sound pathetic and very insecure. Stop acting like a child and realize that it doesnt matter about prestige. You make your own path in life NOT the company you work for.

"Oh - the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion?"

"Oh the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion" - Frank Slaughtery 25th Hour.
 
trade4sizeBadam you sound pathetic and very insecure. Stop acting like a child and realize that it doesnt matter about prestige. You make your own path in life NOT the company you work for.
Wow, what's with all the hostility? If prestige didn't matter, then you wouldn't have places like Vault compiling the top banks by prestige - http://www.vault.com/nr/finance_rankings/finance_rankings.jsp?finance20… - you wouldn't have so many talented people choosing Goldman Sachs (eg over a better desk at JPM) or McKinsey, you wouldn't have tons of threads on forums like these asking which is the most prestigious. Maybe it's different in NYC, but if wherever you go, every person you meet whether in a social or business situation, their first questions are what school you went to and where you work, and then you're instantly judged (IB Tier 1 FO = McKinsey > Lawyer = Consultant > IB Tier 2 FO > IB Tier 1 MO > IB Tier 2 MO > IB BO = Accountant > Teacher...) try honestly not caring in the slightest about prestige.
 

Deutshe is actually the #1 bank in one of the countries I will be covering, although my bank poached a few of their top heads in that market ;) It's considered a great bank everywhere, it might not be considered BB, mainly because the BB is originally a US thing, and highly based on the US market. (It was originally compiled from the THompson league table or something like that if I am not mistaken). Good job on landing a gig there if that's where you will be working. Deutshe is amazing, their CEO is a visiting professor at my University as well and I've heard him talk on numerous occasion. The guy who manages risk over there is a genius as well, at least they won't be writing down much in the near future...

Remember, you will always be a salesman, no matter how fancy your title is. - My ex girlfriend

 
soulsearchingbadam,

Trade4size doesn't know what he's talking about. Please forgive that poor non-target soul.

Best, SoulSearching

Thx, yes saw he's from a non-target, thus inexperienced with how much prestige can matter.. looks like he just has to grab whatever he gets and wouldn't be in a position to consider offers from multiple top banks. Nevermind, at least he's not as "insecure" and "pathetic" as those guys who picked Harvard/Princeton and Goldmans/Blackstone to impress.
 

Wow... badam is quite possibly the biggest tool in the entire world, followed closely by soulsearching. Badam's obviously 12 years old and masturbates to rankings lists. Soulsearching, get the fuck over yourself; you go to a fucking public school that has nearly a 50% acceptance rate. You brag about your school's target status, yet you can't even get a position coming from a target.

 

This thread is such a disaster. It seems to have all the bad things about WSO rolled up into one location.

Badam, your job is what you make of it. Now you can sleep better.

 

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"Oh the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion" - Frank Slaughtery 25th Hour.
 

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