Deutsche Bank’s highest-paid employee could earn almost twice as much as chief executive Christian Sewing for 2024, as Germany’s largest lender boosted bonuses following a surge in investment banking profits.
The number of employees earning more than €1mn jumped 28 per cent to 647 in 2024, up from 505 the previous year. The rise was fuelled by a 78 per cent increase in pre-tax profits in the investment banking division, where variable performance-linked pay makes up a larger share of total pay.
The bank’s overall bonus pool increased 25 per cent to €2.5bn, the most since 2014, while total pay rose by just 8 per cent to €11.1bn, with headcount remaining stable.