CEO Bettina Orlopp discusses Commerzbank’s turnaround, her leadership philosophy and how UniCredit’s takeover push accelerated its strategy work.
Bettina Orlopp took over as CEO of Commerzbank as the German lender was pushing ahead with a multiyear turnaround — and as UniCredit was building a stake that raised the pressure on the bank’s leadership.
In this episode of Executive Decisions, Orlopp explains how she has approached leading through that pressure: staying calm, speaking candidly about difficult change and relying on trusted teams to deliver the bank’s strategy.
Orlopp also reflects on the path that brought her there, from nearly two decades at McKinsey to taking on Commerzbank’s compliance function, becoming CFO just before the Covid-19 pandemic and later stepping into the CEO role.
She discusses how takeover pressure accelerated Commerzbank’s strategy work, the challenges of restructuring and why she believes leaders need to be direct about what change will require.
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Note: This interview was recorded on May 12, 2026.
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