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HSBC cuts equities team in Germany as CEO Georges Elhedery continues revamp

HSBC cuts equities team in Germany as CEO Georges Elhedery continues revamp

Business Times4 days ago
[LONDON] HSBC Holdings is planning to let go of several staff in its Germany-based equities team as it continues to pare the investment banking division outside Asia and the Middle East.
The London-headquartered lender is preparing to cut equities sales and trading jobs in the Dusseldorf office, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move is part of chief executive officer Georges Elhedery's effort to revamp the investment bank, the sources said, asking not to be identified discussing private information.
Europe's largest financial institution has already culled dozens of analysts in its investment bank in the last couple of months and it has shut down its US, UK and European equity capital markets and M&A units.
'Equities sales and trading supports the growth of our Prime and Wealth businesses, facilitates equities distribution to the market and supports our global clients investing in equities in both developed markets and emerging markets,' an HSBC spokesperson said in response to questions about the cuts at the German unit.
Since taking over as CEO last September, Elhedery has instituted a widespread overhaul of the bank that has involved creating four new divisions under what he has called his 'simplification' plan. He has also combined HSBC's commercial and investment banking units, while making operations in the UK and Hong Kong standalone businesses. BLOOMBERG
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