German banking giant Deutsche Bank has lined up Simone Kämpfer as its next general counsel, replacing Friederike Rotsch, who is leaving the bank after two years.
Kämpfer is joining from Freshfields in Düsseldorf, where she leads the firm’s white-collar defence practice for Continental Europe. She is due to join on 15 September and will be based in Frankfurt. She will become a member of the bank’s group management committee and report directly to CEO Christian Sewing.
Deutsche Bank is Germany’s largest banking institution and among the top 10 in Europe, with €1.3trn in total assets in 2023, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Sewing said: “Simone brings a wealth of experience in various areas of commercial law and a strong track record in legal leadership. Her widely recognised expertise will be invaluable as we continue to further evolve our legal department and support the bank’s long-term growth.”
Kämpfer arrives after seven and a half years at Freshfields, almost four of them leading the white-collar defence team. Prior to that she was a partner at German criminal law specialists TDWE and also worked in the German Public Prosecutor’s Office, first in Mönchengladbach and later in Düsseldorf.
Rotsch, meanwhile, exits to “pursue new opportunities” having played a significant role in reducing the bank’s litigation risks. She joined the bank in 2023 from German healthcare and life sciences business Merck, replacing Karen Kuder who moved to the bank’s asset management business DWS.
Sewing added: “Friederike has made a significant contribution to Deutsche Bank during her tenure. Her leadership and expertise have been instrumental in dealing with complex legacy cases, navigating a complex environment and shaping our legal and group governance function for the future. We thank her for her dedication and wish her continued success in her future endeavours.”
In other banking moves, in June last year, JPMorgan retail banking GC Stephen Simcock joined digital savings and loan business SoFi as GC, replacing chief legal officer Rob Lavet, who was retiring. In March last year The Bank for International Settlements promoted deputy GC Dessislava Guetcheva-Cheytanova to GC, replacing Diego Devos who was set to retire. And in January last year, US financial services giant State Street hired Mark Shelton as GC from Barclays.
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