Deutsche Bank on the Defense

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With stock at an all-time low and a German government raid last week, Deutsche Bank is trying to reassure customers and shareholders. Finance chief James von Moltke said on CNBC, “To date, we’re not aware of any wrongdoing on our part.” The investigation relates to the Panama Papers, which are documents made public in 2016 that revealed tax havens for individuals from more than 200 countries.

Throughout the CNBC interview, von Moltke tries to put the issue into perspective. He says the investigation involves a small, trust services business that the bank sold earlier this year. However, some of the money laundering accusations involve current managers. Still, von Moltke claims that new precautions are in place today.

Deutsche Bank stock fell further on the news, losing 51% of its value this year.

Discussion:

  • Assess the CFO’s video interview with CNBC. What persuasive communication strategies do you observe?

  • Which are his strongest and weakest arguments?

  • Also assess his delivery skills: tone, rapport, volume, pace, and so on.