Moreau exit shows tough road ahead for European banks’ asset management hopes

Nicolas Moreau’s summary replacement as the head of Deutsche Bank’s asset management arm today is just the latest sign of pressures facing Europe’s asset managers, especially those with global ambitions.

European banks are increasingly turning to asset management to shore up their returns, as the business requires less capital than more traditional banking activities. Deutsche Bank is a case in point, with asset management core to Christian Sewing’s plan to reduce the firm’s reliance on more volatile investment banking and markets revenues, the latter being businesses where it is even harder for Europeans to compete.

DWS’s IPO this March should have drawn useful attention to this valuable part of Deutsche’s franchise.