The cloud computing, big data and mobile internet megatrends are bringing about a fundamental shift in the business models of ITC companies. "In no other sector do megatrends and business models interact as fast as they do in the information technology sector," says Ulrich Trabert, ITC analyst at Metzler Bank.

Hans Günter Wolf (50) is joining the management of B. Metzler GmbH, the corporate finance arm of Frankfurt-based Metzler Bank, on November 1, 2012. He is assuming the position of Co-Managing Director of B. Metzler GmbH alongside Dr. Ralf A. Pampel and will be the company's spokesman in the future.

Hans Günter Wolf (50) is joining the management of B. Metzler GmbH, the corporate finance arm of Frankfurt-based Metzler Bank, on November 1, 2012. He is assuming the position of Co-Managing Director of B. Metzler GmbH alongside Dr. Ralf A. Pampel and will be the company's spokesman in the future.

Bankhaus Metzler has fully and successfully completed the placement, as announced yesterday, of its entire remaining stake of 10,389,543 shares in Continental AG, equivalent to 5.2% of Continental AG’s share capital.

• Sale of the entire remaining stake of 10,389,543 shares in Continental AG through accelerated bookbuilt offering
• Proceeds will be transferred to the financing banks of Schaeffler Holding

Both the auto industry and the political sphere are placing great hopes on the electric engine as the power source of vehicles in the future. However, lengthy recharging times and limited driving ranges coupled with high prices are likely to prevent electric engines from becoming a mass market product for at least ten years – in the view of Jürgen Pieper, automobile analyst at Bankhaus Metzler. As a transitional solution the hybrid engine presents itself, Pieper says: “For a long time, this engine was disparaged as being just a shoddy compromise. But even today it meets the demands of buyers for more fuel efficient vehicles with lower emissions.” The higher price compared to conventional engines is likely to be acceptable to many buyers as well, as it offers them in return reduced fuel consumption, lower CO2 emissions and a higher performance.

In the AktienAnalystenAward presented by the Börsen-Zeitung newspaper, the second major analyst ranking this year, Metzler Equities once again gained top rankings in several categories for its coverage of German stocks. Metzler Equities gained first place in the category "Best Analyst/Best Analyst Team" for its recommendations on utilities (large caps).

“Today we can report on another successful year,” said Emmerich Müller, partner in Metzler Bank, at the annual press conference in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, on May 22, 2012.
“We are noticing that many people operating on the financial markets are looking for a trust-worthy partner to mitigate their uncertainty,” commented Müller.

The Nippon Cinema Award, worth EUR 2,000, was awarded by Metzler Bank at the closing of the Japanese film festival Nippon Connection in Frankfurt am Main on 6th May 2012. Top of the public's list of 18 candidates was THE WOODSMAN AND THE RAIN, a strange comedy about an unusual friendship between a 60 year-old lumberjack and a director of independent zombie films.

Metzler appoints Harald Illy a member of the Partners‘ Committee. Harald Illy, Michael Klaus, Dr. Johannes Reich and Gerhard Wiesheu are appointed to the Board of Management of B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG.

Metzler Equities came fourth overall in the 2012 Analysts’ Awards with a total of five individual awards. Jochen Schmitt was awarded first place in two categories: for his equity recommendations on the Insurance sector and for the accuracy of his earnings estimates for the Financial Services sector. Jürgen Pieper was ranked top for his equity recommendations on the Automobile sector for the second year in succession, while Lars Hettche was awarded second place for his earnings estimates in the Chemicals sector.

Hiroto Makino (49) has been appointed Managing Director of Metzler Asset Manage¬ment (Japan) Ltd. in Tokyo from March 1, 2012. He succeeds Mitsuyuki Kobayashi (60), who has been Managing Director of this subsidiary of Frankfurt-based Metzler Bank since 2002 and is now taking on the post of Chairman.

Metzler Corporate Finance is acting as advisor to insolvency administrators Dr. Siegfried Beck and Joachim Exner on the sale of substantial parts of the Sellner Group (Sellner GmbH, IPG GmbH, Sellner Corp.) to the Chinese automotive supplier Ningbo Huaxiang Electronic Co., Ltd (NBHX; Ningbo, Shanghai). Like NBHX, the Sellner Group supplies interior surfaces for cars.

Analysts from Metzler Equities did extremely well in the Financial Times' annual ranking of the world’s top analysts for the USA, Europe and Asia. Jürgen Pieper was ranked among the top ten stock pickers for Europe. In addition, Jürgen Pieper and Lars Hettche were both awarded second place in the Europe-wide sector stockpickers ranking: Pieper for his recommendations on the automotive and transport sector and Hettche for his recommendations on the chemicals sector.