Tradition and a modern, forward-looking approach|History|BHF-BANK|Homepage|BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft
English
Tradition and a modern, forward-looking approach
Private since 1854 - BHF-BANK's tradition as a private bank goes back around 150 years. A long period of time in which the bank has proven its skill in initiating and recognising new developments.BHF-BANK was formed in 1970 from the merger of Frankfurter Bank and Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft, founded in 1854 and 1856 respectively. Both these banks were founded by the leading bankers in their respective city and they were both civil-law companies holding the status of a 'bank of banks'. As Berlin became more important as a financial centre, Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft developed into a 'bank of banks' for the regional banks; Frankfurter Bank was founded as the central bank of the private banks in Frankfurt.
With the legendary Carl Fürstenberg at the helm, Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft became one of the leading banks for industrial and issuing business. Frankfurter Bank was highly recognised as one of Germany's most important banks of issue. Following the establishment of the 'Reichsbank' as the German central bank, Frankfurter Bank succeeded in gaining a new market position as an asset management bank with a comprehensive array of services in securities and custodian business. After the first world war, both banks were able to stand their ground, inflation, economic turbulences and the banking crisis notwithstanding.
Following the second world war, Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft, which had a strong focus on industrial clients, rebuilt its business at its new location in Frankfurt am Main, while Frankfurter Bank changed its business model to become a successful trading and merchant bank, expanding its influence beyond the Rhine-Main area. The two companies, which complemented each other perfectly, merged in 1970. This unusual and courageous decision, which was closely followed by the public at the time, soon proved to be right and successful. To the present day, this merger has been one the few examples of a successful long-term banking merger.
Being one of the most prestigious German banks, BHF-BANK soon sharpened its profile on the market, its hallmark being highly qualified advisory services. The bank focused on selected business segments such as corporate lending and finance, securities business and asset management and acquired an outstanding position in forex and export and trade finance. The bank has left the beaten track on more than one occasion - it was, for instance, one of the first institutions to withdraw from standard retail business and do without a large branch network.
Today, BHF-BANK is one of the most prestigious and innovative private banks in Germany.