DWS returns to Deutsche Bank name after 8 years

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Deutsche Bank is rebranding its asset management division from DWS back to Deutsche Asset Management starting in November, reintegrating it under the parent company’s brand after eight years of operating independently. This shift signals confidence in the bank’s improved reputation and aims to strengthen collaboration across divisions while targeting institutional and private market clients globally.

Deutsche Bank is reuniting its asset management arm with the parent company’s brand, reversing a decision made eight years ago to establish an independent identity. Starting in November, the asset manager will operate under the name Deutsche Asset Management, replacing the DWS brand it adopted in 2018.

The move marks a departure from the strategy employed prior to DWS’s initial public offering in Frankfurt, when distancing the asset manager from Deutsche Bank was seen as necessary due to reputational damage the bank faced from scandals, including interest-rate rigging, money laundering, and the mis-selling of securities. At the time, the fund manager cited these issues as reasons to create an autonomous profile separate from the parent bank.

Over the ensuing years, Deutsche Bank has recovered financially and reputationally under Chief Executive Christian Sewing. Sewing has bolstered the bank’s profitability and capital reserves, easing concerns that lingered since the global financial crisis. Deutsche Bank currently holds approximately 80 percent ownership of DWS.

In recent months, efforts to integrate the asset manager more closely with the wider bank have intensified. DWS has signed agreements with Deutsche Bank’s investment and corporate banking divisions aimed at enhancing collaboration, including on the origination of private credit. Additionally, Stefan Hoops, who became DWS CEO in 2022 and is viewed as a potential successor to Sewing, joined Deutsche Bank’s management board in May.

The DWS brand will remain in use but will be narrowed to focus on active fund management in Germany and core European markets. The Deutsche Asset Management name will serve as the global umbrella brand targeting institutional clients and private market activities, encompassing other group brands as well.

Since taking the helm at DWS, Hoops has improved the asset manager’s profitability, with shares rising nearly 50 percent over the past year. This performance outpaces the roughly 20 percent gain recorded by Deutsche Bank shares during the same period. The rebranding reflects the group’s growing confidence in leveraging Deutsche Bank’s established reputation alongside its asset management operations.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.