Deutsche Bank appoints company veteran to head UK and Ireland following Numis deal
Deutsche Bank has chosen long-serving employee Vathany Vijayaratna to become chief executive of its UK and Ireland division effective immediately, subject to regulatory approval.
Vijayaratna takes over from Nicola Atkinson, who became interim chief executive for the countries after Tiina Lee left to join Citigroup. Atkinson will remain in her role as chief operating officer.
Vijayaratna joined Deutsche Bank in 2002 and was appointed Global Head of FIC Structuring in 2018 before moving to head of non-financial risk for the investment bank in 2022.
She said: “Deutsche Bank’s connection to the UK and Ireland is a longstanding and deep one, built over 150 years of serving our clients in the region.”
“I am honoured to take on the role of UKI CEO and look forward to working with our outstanding team to deliver on the opportunities for growth in the region and support our clients’ needs.”
The German bank is in the process of deepening its links with the UK corporate client segment after agreeing to buy Numis, a London-based institutional stockbroker and corporate adviser, for around £410m in April.
The embattled German bank recently reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings, with profit falling eight per cent as higher income from its retail and corporate divisions offset a decline in revenue from the investment bank.
Fabrizio Campelli, the board member responsible for the UKI region, said: “Vathany has demonstrated all the skills required to take our franchise forward: a deep understanding of the bank and its capabilities, strong knowledge of non-financial risk management and 20 years’ experience of working with clients around the world across a range of asset classes.”