The agenda for the 2026 Banking Summit
Subject to change without notice.
September 1, 2026
eve
Executive Lounge
Networking evening at the C-level on the eve of the Handelsblatt Banking Summit
Host: FlatexDEGIRO
September 2, 2026
New world order – new business models? Successful banking in uncertain times.
First-Timer Breakfast
For everyone attending the banking summit for the first time.
Handelsblatt editor-in-chief Sebastian Matthes warmly welcomes you and provides an insight into the inner workings of Handelsblatt.
Welcome to the Handelsblatt Banking Summit
Program item
Christian Sewing
CEO – Deutsche Bank
Success strategies between record profits and rising risks
Dr. Cornelius Riese
CEO – DZ Bank
Since 1674: How does a traditional bank stay modern?
Franz von Metzler
Board of Directors – Bankhaus Metzler
How do we unlock Europe's savings for growth?
Steven van Rijswijk
CEO – ING Group
Program item
Tanja Birkholz
CEO – SCHUFA
Time for questions and interaction
Networking break
With a session for NextGen Banking Leaders in the Communication Corner
Including a roundtable discussion for international attendees in the foyer
Commerzbank between mandate to serve small and medium-sized enterprises and European competitive pressure
Dr. Bettina Orlopp
CEO – Commerzbank
Banking between Vienna and Warsaw: Europe's growth markets in focus
Peter Bosek
CEO – Erste Group
Program item
Mark Branson
President – BaFin
Time for questions and interaction
Defense, Industrial Transition & Tech: Who Will Finance Europe's Future Economy?
Prof. Rob Murray
Chair – DSRB Negotiations (Defence, Security and Resilience Bank)
Joachim Erdle
Member of the Board of Directors – LBBW
Steffen Zeise
Member of the Board of Directors – IKB Deutsche Industriebank
More information
Networking Lunch with Women's Lunch
in cooperation with Fintech Ladies, Leading Ladies in Finance, S-FiF, finteXX and PULSE
Deposits, markets, regulation: How do banks secure liquidity in uncertain times?
Oliver Behrens
CEO – flatexDEGIRO
Nurten Erdogan
Chief Financial Officer – ING Germany
Dr. Ingrid Hengster
Country CEO Germany, Global Chairman Investment Banking – Barclays
Rethinking European Banking: Speed, Scale and the New Competitive Edge
Béatrice Cossa-Dumurgier
CEO Western Europe – Revolut
Program item
Sven Deglow
CEO – DKB
Integration is just the beginning. Growth is the answer. What kind of bank do Germany and Europe need?
Isabelle Chevelard
CEO – TARGOBANK – Country Manager Germany – Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale
Time for questions and interaction
Time to change rooms
Parallel Masterclasses
Parallel Masterclasses – in conjunction with the AI in Banking conference
Masterclass I
Masterclass II
Masterclass III
15:55
Masterclass I
Increased productivity, reduced complexity: AI as a driver of new banking processes
Masterclass
15:55 – 16:25
More information
Increased productivity, reduced complexity: AI as a driver of new banking processes
- Where AI is already accelerating and automating processes in banking today
- How digital workers can specifically relieve the burden on specialist departments and IT
- What banks need to consider to use AI safely and scalably
Rainer Größer
Partner – IBM Consulting Germany
Masterclass II
The bank of tomorrow: New revenue opportunities with digital assets
Masterclass
15:55 – 16:25
More information
The bank of tomorrow: New revenue opportunities with digital assets
- Why banks are now focusing on digital assets
- From strategy to implementation and practical experience
- Outlook / Call to Action: Where is the European market headed under MiCA?
Simon Schneider
CEO – Sygnum Europe (SEAG)
Fritz Jost
Chief B2B Officer – Sygnum
Dr. Matthias Ramser
Chief Investment Officer – Reichmuth & Co Private Bankers
Masterclass III
Re-scaling customer engagement: How banks create relevance in the AI age
Masterclass
15:55 – 16:25
More information
Re-scaling customer engagement: How banks create relevance in the AI age
- Why rising customer expectations require new approaches to customer interaction
- How marketing, service, and digital teams can achieve greater impact with data, AI, and intelligent workflows – despite limited resources and increasing complexity.
- Practical insights, concrete use cases and live demos: From initial use cases to scaling across the entire company
Lisa Kreilinger
Manager Expert Solutions Consulting – Adobe
Julien Gherairi
Technology Strategist – Adobe
Networking break
With Meet the Speaker session in the Communication Corner
Digital Euro: Is the banks' fear of liquidity justified – and where do the opportunities lie?
Dr. Alexandra Hachmeister
Director General Digital Euro – Deutsche Bundesbank
Daniel Hellmann
Head of Payment Transactions – Federal Association of German Cooperative Banks (BVR)
More information
Prof. Dr. Alexander Schroff
Head of Financial Services DACH – Publicis Sapient
Stablecoins and the New Financial Infrastructure: A Turning Point for Banks and Markets?
Jennifer Lassiter
Managing Director, Head of Digital Assets, Americas, UK and Europe – Standard Chartered
Time for questions and interaction
Demographic change, the Boomer generation, and so on: Opportunity or risk for banks?
Nancy Plassmann
Deputy Chairwoman of the Board – Berliner Sparkasse
Robin Binder
CEO and Founder – NAO
More information
Is a market crash imminent?
Christian W. Röhl
Chief Economist – Scalable Capital
More information
Sonja Marten
Chief Economist – DZ BANK
Wrap-up
Evening event
September 3, 2026
Executive Breakfast
Risk resilience as a business case: Opportunities for banks in a new reality
Host: Risk Management Partners by Munich Re
Global crises, new technologies: How can banking remain competitive in Germany and Europe?
Welcome to the second day of the summit, live editorial
Program item
Speaker: to be arranged
Investments in European resilience and technological sovereignty – how can Germany and Europe remain competitive?
Wolfgang Fink
CEO – Goldman Sachs Bank Europe
Thomas Gross
President – Federal Association of Public Banks (VÖB)
Kai Beckmann
Chairman of the Executive Board and Group CEO – Merck
Retirement savings accounts, capital annuities & Co.: The future of retirement security?
Heiner Herkenhoff
Chief Executive Officer – Federal Association of German Banks
Katharina Lüth
Board Member and Chief Client Officer – Raisin
More information
Prof. Jörg Rocholl
President, ESMT Berlin – Member of the Pension Commission
Digital Bank with Human Touch – A perfect Opportunity in Germany?
Petri Nikkilä
CEO – Openbank Germany
New players, new technologies: What is changing in the banking market?
Dr. Viktoria Danzer
Senior Partner Financial Services – Roland Berger
More information
Raphael Johnen
Founder & CEO – auxmoney
Eva Wunsch-Weber
Chair of the Board of Directors – Frankfurter Volksbank Rhein/Main
From smart service to autonomous decision-maker – how revolutionary is AI in banking really?
Moderation
Albrecht Kiel
Regional Managing Director – Visa
Tilo Hacke
Member of the Board of Directors – DKB
More information
Networking break
With Meet the Speaker session in the Communication Corner
AI in Banking – common block
Program item
Speaker: to be arranged
Time for questions and interaction
Who will strengthen Europe's SMEs: banks, fintechs – or algorithms?
Patrick Stäuble
CEO & Founder – Teylor AG
More information
Program item
Speaker: to be arranged
Time for questions and interaction
Banking in the AI age: Who will win the race for innovation and efficiency?
Ralph Erhard
Global Lead Financial Services – Eraneos
Zoé Fabian-Frey
General Partner – Noteus Partners
Further speakers to be announced.
Data economy in the financial system: New business models through open finance & AI?
Karim el Abiary
Chief Operating Officer – Creditplus Bank
Susanne Krehl
Chief Growth Officer – wealthAPI
More information
Andreas Mach
Board of Directors – msg for banking
