The financial hub of Frankfurt has lost a true original. As announced by the Metzler Bank, Friedrich von Metzler recently passed away, surrounded by his family. The 81-year-old had already stepped back from day-to-day operations some time ago. As a great patron of the arts and culture, as well as an unpretentious and curious conversationalist, the banker was far from an average person.

Born in Dresden, Friedrich von Metzler moved to war-damaged Frankfurt with his parents and his sister Barbara after World War II, where he completed his high school diploma in 1962. He then trained as an international trade specialist with Münchmeyer & Co. in Hamburg. In the following years, he gained experience in the international capital markets in London, New York, Paris, and Düsseldorf.

In 1969 von Metzler returned to Frankfurt, still under the age of 30, and joined the Metzler Bank, which had been family-owned for eleven generations. Two years later, he and his cousin Christoph von Metzler, both of the same age, became personally liable partners. The two young men played a pivotal role in making the traditional bank future-proof, the bank noted in its announcement.

Under their leadership, the bank benefited from Friedrich von Metzler’s international experience, as capital markets were beginning to develop in Germany in the 1970s. His cousin Christoph, having worked at Schroder in London and Morgan Stanley, brought extensive international experience that he used to develop the bank further, building the foreign exchange and corporate finance divisions. By transforming the bank into a partnership limited by shares, Friedrich and Christoph von Metzler laid the foundation for its future development.

However, the financial world owes Friedrich von Metzler much more than just the successful development of the private bank. As a board member and later chairman of the supervisory board of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, he helped lay the groundwork for Frankfurt's international significance in the securities business.

Under his leadership, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, founded by Frankfurt merchants in 1585, merged with the publicly owned Deutsche Terminbörse and the Deutsche Kassenverein, Ausland-Kassenverein, and Deutsche Wertpapierdaten-Zentrale. This merger led to the formation of Deutsche Börse AG, which is now based in Eschborn.

When his cousin Christoph passed away at the age of just 50 in 1993, Friedrich von Metzler ensured continuity. But he never lost sight of his goal for the esteemed bank to survive him successfully. To this end, he surrounded himself with a professional management team, and encouraged them to drive the continuous development of the institution. Thanks to this foresight, the succession problem that many family businesses face did not arise for the bank.

In 2018, von Metzler eventually handed over the operational leadership to Gerhard Wiesheu, while the shares remained entirely in family hands. 20% of the shares are owned by Leonhard von Metzler, the son of his late cousin Christoph. Friedrich von Metzler's children Elena and Franz von Metzler each hold 40% of the shares. Friedrich von Metzler fulfilled his implicit life’s mission to ensure succession within the family, as both Elena and Franz have worked at the bank for many years, with Franz joining the board two years ago.

„With his extraordinary commitment, vision and social responsibility, Friedrich von Metzler leaves a gap in the German banking and cultural landscape“, said Wolfgang Kirsch, chairman of the supervisory board of B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG. “He was a passionate banker, a citizen by conviction, and a Frankfurter through and through. His legacy will live on in the work of Metzler Bank, and his social commitment to the city of Frankfurt and beyond will remain alive in numerous initiatives and institutions."

„Friedrich von Metzler was a unique personality“, added Gerhard Wiesheu, spokesperson for the board of B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG. He lived for the bank, yet never lost sight of the individual and always made time for personal conversations. Friedrich von Metzler was a role model for everyone who worked for the bank. We lose with him a well-meaning and deeply valued advisor.“