Overview

• Christian Sewing, CEO of Deutsche Bank, stood at the center of a high-profile group photo at the Chancellery, signaling his de facto leadership of the revived Deutschland AG framework.
• Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted the July 21 investment summit to advance coordinated policy measures and a special fund aimed at mobilizing private capital for infrastructure and competitiveness projects.
• The summit revives the postwar Deutschland AG model by aligning government officials with leading banking and industry figures to accelerate long-term investments.
• Observers highlighted the event’s stark gender imbalance, with more than 40 men and just two women taking part in the main photo-op.
• Commerzbank CEO Bettina Orlopp was one of only two women present, underscoring persistent diversity challenges in Germany’s high-level economic policymaking.