Prior to 2023, Simon Man, UK & Ireland general counsel for Deutsche Bank, was leading its Brexit strategy. Man has witnessed the bank bounce back in the UK and the department is really busy and active: from capital market transactions to sales and trading to litigations.
Deutsche Bank’s acquisition of Numis has provided new faces, and the legal team has introduced new trainees with great energy. Man has worked to rebuild the department in the sales and trading teams, documentations team and credits team, with eight new hires made to the 67-strong legal team. This year has been difficult with the Ukraine-Russia and Credit Suisse’s acquisition, and Man is proud of his team’s ability to handle challenges.
In 2024, Man hopes to alter the way the bank works with external panels and how they provide diversity, equality, and inclusion support. Growing up, Man’s family owned a Chinese restaurant, and he credits the experience of customer service in his younger days to the pleasure he gets from managing his diverse team. He notes his excitement for the future of Deutsche, which had a remarkable year in 2023, and the potential for transformational AI projects.