RBI Frankfurt Branch under new management: Focus on connecting institutional clients with the CEE region.

On 1 November, Axel Summer will take over as head of the Frankfurt branch of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI). Having spent almost three decades in various roles within RBI, he will bring extensive experience and fresh ideas to the role of realigning the branch. In an exclusive interview, Mr Summer explains his plans, the importance of the CEE region for German companies, and his strategic priorities for the first few months in the role.

Mr Summer, you have held various positions at RBI for 29 years. On 1 November, you will succeed Stefan Bolz as head of the Frankfurt branch. What does this step mean for you personally?

This move represents an exciting new direction for me, having spent most of my career working with institutional clients. Moving to an ‘external position’ will enable me to view the RBI Group from a fresh perspective and focus intensively on corporate clients. I see this as a challenging and enriching opportunity.

How would you describe the Frankfurt Branch's general role within the RBI Group?

The Frankfurt Branch plays an important role in attracting German companies, particularly those operating in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), to the RBI Group. We also intend to strengthen our collaboration with our network banks in CEE and the head office in Vienna. A great deal of excellent work has already been done here, and I plan to build on these successes. The CEE region is of great importance to German companies and foreign trade, and the RBI Group's expertise and presence set us apart from other banks. Given the current geopolitical tensions, issues such as nearshoring and 'Made in Europe' are becoming increasingly relevant, making the CEE region even more important. I am convinced that we have not yet exhausted the potential of the German market.

In which areas would you like to set new priorities or further develop existing structures?

The branch will realign itself so that, in future, we will be the point of contact in Frankfurt for not only corporate customers, but also institutional customers and financial institutions. Our focus will be on cooperation with regard to the CEE region. Our goal is to strengthen existing partnerships while also winning new customers.

What priorities have you set for the first few months?

I will focus on increasing the branch's visibility and planning for 2026 in the first few months. The German government's economic stimulus package creates new opportunities for the German economy and establishes additional connections for our customers in their business with the CEE region.

Could you give a specific example of how customers could benefit from your new strategic direction?

In the future, by leveraging the synergies between our corporate and institutional businesses in relation to CEE at our Frankfurt location, we will gain broader market knowledge, which will also benefit our customers. 

In this way, we want to bring the CEE region even closer to the German market in the future.