The Fix-It banker

JOHN Cryan wants just to get straight to the point.

From calling out bankers who do work like robots, to accountants who operate like an abacus, the Deutsche Bank chief executive officer has spoken sharply about the impact of automation on jobs in the banking sector.

But one senses that Mr Cryan's comments on the realities of the market come from a place of urgency only because he wants to build a bank that will stand upright in the years to come, but is inundated by the short-term pressures coming from many directions.

"There is an accounting view, and accountants have ruled the world for about 20 years. Business decisions have very often been driven by short-term financial impact," says the Englishman, who started his career as an accountant. "That's something we're trying to move away from, and I always say one of the greatest challenges that I personally have, is doing what I think is important for the bank, …