Southpaw
by David Rothnie

• Solomon still planning a culture change at Goldman

  A year on from being appointed chief executive, David Solomon is calling for patience in remodelling Goldman Sachs around new growth avenues. But there is much to admire on his first anniversary, writes David Rothnie.

  • 17 Oct 2019

• Credit Suisse spying affair shows European banking has a succession crisis

  One of the lessons from the Credit Suisse spy scandal is that there is a dearth of talent capable of leading Europe’s banks through their most challenging period. A succession crisis looms, writes David Rothnie.

  • 10 Oct 2019

• High margin cap markets businesses are key to Commerz plan

  Commerzbank has come through a period of intense scrutiny with a no-nonsense strategy that reflects its culture. A dash of investment banking ambition is thrown in, writes David Rothnie.

  • 03 Oct 2019

• WeWork’s public meltdown blurs Vision Fund

  The postponed listing of the We Company, owner of office provider WeWork, shows that IPO investors are disciplined in their search for growth stories. Banks should recalibrate their relationships with private capital providers, says David Rothnie.

  • 26 Sep 2019

• LSE lines up advisory heavyweights against HKEX

  Ten banks have already been named as advisers as the London Stock Exchange seals one bid, for data firm Refinitiv, and looks to repel another from Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing. The question is: which firms will its Hong Kong rival look to for more firepower? asks David Rothnie.

  • 18 Sep 2019

• London calls for Lazard’s Kapadia

  The new boss of Lazard’s UK business faces a challenge to reassert its place in the firm’s global pecking order, writes David Rothnie

  • 12 Sep 2019

• Khan do attitude: Ermotti looks to secure legacy

  The arrival of star Credit Suisse banker Iqbal Khan gives UBS’s chief executive Sergio Ermotti the chance to achieve his ambition of reaching a decade at the helm of the bank while securing a smooth transition, writes David Rothnie. Meanwhile, UBS’s restructuring, announced on Thursday, marks a focus on intragroup collaboration.

  • 05 Sep 2019

• Berenberg takes the ‘painful’ route in corporate finance build

  After a bruising 12 months, Germany’s oldest bank Berenberg remains committed to a patient development of its corporate finance business, Dave Mortlock, global head of investment banking, tells David Rothnie.

  • 29 Aug 2019

• Banks go broader and deeper in revamp of corporate broking

  Banks like Goldman Sachs have positioned corporate broking as part of a wider, integrated offering to clients — a strategy that appears to be the future of this traditional UK line of business, writes David Rothnie.

  • 22 Aug 2019

• HSBC’s Tucker and Stevenson ramp up the pressure

  HSBC’s chief executive was dislodged by the force of the challenges facing the bank. Now, its global markets division is under pressure as senior management continues with reform, writes David Rothnie.

  • 15 Aug 2019

Southpaw archive