Deutsche Bank taps US tech companies for makeover

Deutsche Bank has invited bids from Microsoft, Google and Amazon to overhaul the German bank's outdated and fragmented technology networks, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The bank's approach to the US tech companies, which has not been previously reported, is part of a 13 billion euro ($14.20 billion) technology investment Deutsche has planned up to 2022 as it restructures to recover from years of losses.

Bernd Leukert, who recently joined Deutsche's board as chief technology officer from software group SAP, is overseeing the initiative.

Deutsche Bank said in a statement: "To help us evaluate our options, we have started a tender process with several cloud providers ... we expect to be able to complete the process in the coming months."

Microsoft and Google declined to comment. Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.

Technology is a challenge for all global banks, but Deutsche Bank has particularly struggled to harmonize its networks in the decades after a rapid global expansion that included the acquisition of Morgan Grenfell in London and Bankers Trust in the United States.

Even some of the bank's most basic processes are outdated. Some retail customers still get their balances entered into savings books by printers for which spare parts are no longer manufactured.

The three US tech groups set up shop on site at Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt last week to come up with proposals to fix technology and partner on projects across the bank, two of the people said.