CEO talk with Christian Ricken at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

Date:                      Wednesday, 15 April 2026, 6:30–7:00 p.m. (talk),

                                7:00–7:30 p.m. (Q&A with participants), followed by a get-together

Participants:            Students and alumni of the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

Location:                 Frankfurt School of Finance & Management,
Adickesallee 32–34, Frankfurt am Main

CEO talk with Dr Christian Ricken, Aareal Bank

A rather different bank

How do you lead an international property bank in today's charged and uncertain geopolitical environment? How can you generate growth in volatile markets? And what special corporate culture does a middle-market bank need to compete in the same league as the big international players? 

Christian Ricken, CEO at Aareal Bank AG since August 2024, will answer these questions in his talk. Based in Wiesbaden, Aareal Bank is a leading international property specialist that employs roughly 1,000 people from 45 countries. It provides financing, banking and payment solutions for the property sector and related industries, and has a presence in Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific region. The Bank's teams of experts – such as in the area of hotel finance – make it a leading international player in the industry. 

Aareal Bank operates in a demanding environment and markets, not least because of the greater economic and geopolitical uncertainties today. Despite this, the Bank is pursuing ambitious growth targets. In his talk, CEO Christian Ricken will explain why he is confident his team will reach them. He will reveal a Bank with a special culture of collaboration – a "good-humoured high-performance organisation", as he likes to describe it. 

Following his talk, Christian Ricken will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. After this, there will be a get-together. 

Your takeaways from the CEO Talk:

·       A first-hand, strategic view of the international property market and the banking sector

·       Insights into a financial industry CEO's leadership experience

·       Valuable ideas for a possible career in a changing sector

·       The chance to network directly with a CEO from the industry

 The event language is English.

If interested in joining, please send an email to [email protected]