Berliner Handels- und Frankfurter Bank

Berliner Handels- und Frankfurter Bank, generally known as BHF Bank, was a German commercial and investment bank established in 1970 through the merger of Frankfurter Bank and Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft. The two predecessor institutions had been founded in Frankfurt and Berlin in the nineteenth century, giving the merged bank a substantially older institutional heritage than its legal formation date suggests. The combined institution initially used the name Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft – Frankfurter Bank and adopted the shorter BHF Bank name in 1975. BHF Bank became one of the most important commercial banks in West Germany. During the 1970s and 1980s it was generally ranked among the country's leading investment banks and held a particularly strong position in foreign-exchange activity. Its business included corporate and investment banking, financing, capital-markets activities, foreign exchange, and other services associated with a major universal bank. Its Frankfurt headquarters, a high-rise building designed by architect Sep Ruf and commissioned by Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft, was completed in 1970 and was then Frankfurt's tallest building, reinforcing the bank's visibility in the city's financial district. The institution changed its legal form and ownership structure in the 1990s. In 1995 it converted from a partnership into a stock corporation and became publicly listed. From 1999 onward, Dutch financial group ING acquired the bank. Under ING ownership, the institution was renamed ING BHF-Bank in 2002. It was delisted that year, and the remaining shareholders were subsequently forced out through a squeeze-out process. ING reorganized the business in 2004. Most of the bank's operating activities, offices, and equity interests were transferred into a newly established BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft. Sal. Oppenheim became the new sole shareholder. After Deutsche Bank acquired Sal. Oppenheim in 2010, BHF-BANK continued to operate separately while being prepared for sale. The bank later became part of the BHF Kleinwort Benson Group, which was acquired by the French private bank Oddo et Cie. Oddo completed the acquisition of the group's remaining shares by March 2016, making it BHF-BANK's indirect sole shareholder. In April 2017, the company was renamed ODDO BHF, marking the end of BHF Bank as an independent brand and legal identity. The BHF name survives within the ODDO BHF group identity, but the historical BHF Bank entity is no longer an independently operating bank.

BHF Bank was created on 1 September 1970, with the merger treated as effective from 1 January of that year, bringing together Frankfurter Bank and Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft. Frankfurter Bank had been founded in 1854, while Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft dated from 1856. The merger therefore combined two established German banking traditions and created a new institution with operations and historical links spanning Frankfurt and Berlin. The bank's Frankfurt headquarters was completed in 1970. The tower had originally been commissioned by Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft and designed by architect Sep Ruf. At completion it was the tallest building in Frankfurt, making it a prominent architectural and corporate landmark in the city. The merged institution initially used the formal name Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft – Frankfurter Bank. In 1975 it shortened the public-facing name to BHF Bank. During the 1970s and 1980s, BHF Bank developed into one of West Germany's leading commercial and investment banks. It was usually placed among the country's top three to five investment banks and was especially prominent in foreign-exchange markets. Its role extended beyond conventional deposit-taking and lending: the bank served corporate clients and participated in investment banking, corporate finance, capital markets, and international financial transactions. This business profile gave it a stronger institutional and wholesale orientation than a predominantly retail banking model. A significant structural change occurred in 1995, when BHF Bank converted from a partnership into a stock corporation and became publicly traded. The listed phase was relatively short. Beginning in 1999, Dutch financial group ING acquired the bank. ING subsequently renamed it ING BHF-Bank in 2002 and removed it from the stock exchange. The remaining shareholders were squeezed out as ING consolidated ownership. In 2004, ING divided the business and transferred the majority of its operations, offices, and equity investments into a newly created BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft. Sal. Oppenheim became the company's sole shareholder. Sal. Oppenheim was later acquired by Deutsche Bank in 2010. Although BHF-BANK continued to operate on a stand-alone basis, the change in ownership placed it within a broader process of portfolio rationalization and eventual sale. The bank subsequently became part of the BHF Kleinwort Benson Group. Oddo et Cie, a French private bank, acquired that group and by mid-March 2016 had obtained all of its shares, becoming BHF-BANK's indirect sole owner. In April 2017 the company was renamed ODDO BHF. This completed the transition from the historical BHF Bank identity to a broader Franco-German financial-services group. BHF Bank is consequently treated as a former independent German bank, while the BHF name remains embedded in ODDO BHF's corporate identity.

1. 2017Renamed ODDO BHF

   BHF-BANK adopts the ODDO BHF name and ceases to operate as an independent historical brand.

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2. 2016Oddo obtains full group ownership

   Oddo et Cie completes its acquisition of the group indirectly owning BHF-BANK.

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3. 2004Business transferred to BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft

   ING reorganizes the business and transfers most activities and holdings into a new company acquired by Sal. Oppenheim.

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4. 2002ING BHF-Bank name and delisting

   The bank is renamed ING BHF-Bank and delisted after ING consolidates ownership.

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5. 1999ING acquisition begins

   ING starts acquiring BHF Bank.

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6. 1995Conversion into a stock corporation

   BHF Bank changes from a partnership into a stock corporation and becomes publicly listed.

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7. 1975BHF Bank rebrand

   The institution adopts the shorter BHF Bank name.

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8. 1970Merger creates the bank

   Frankfurter Bank and Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft merge to form Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft – Frankfurter Bank.

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9. 1970Frankfurt headquarters opens

   The bank's high-rise headquarters, designed by Sep Ruf, is inaugurated and is then Frankfurt's tallest building.

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10. 1856Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft is founded

    The Berlin-based predecessor institution is established.

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11. 1854Frankfurter Bank is founded

    One of the two predecessor institutions of BHF Bank is established in Frankfurt.

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A major German commercial and investment bank with historic strengths in corporate finance, capital markets, and foreign exchange. The institution was positioned as a sophisticated business bank serving companies and financial-market clients rather than primarily as a mass-market retail bank.

• Corporate bankingBanking

  BHF Bank provided banking and financing services to business clients, forming part of its broader commercial-bank franchise. Its client orientation was weighted toward companies and institutional customers rather than a mass retail audience.

• Investment bankingInvestment banking

  Investment banking was one of BHF Bank's defining activities. During the 1970s and 1980s, the institution ranked among the leading investment banks in West Germany and supported corporate and capital-markets transactions.

• Foreign-exchange servicesMarkets

  The bank held a strong position in foreign-exchange markets, providing dealing and related services within its institutional and corporate banking activities.

• Capital-markets and corporate-finance servicesFinancial markets

  BHF Bank participated in capital-markets and corporate-finance work alongside its commercial banking activities. These services contributed to its reputation as a major German wholesale and investment banking institution.

• 2017Integration into the ODDO BHF identityStrategy

  Oddo et Cie had acquired the group that indirectly owned BHF-BANK.

  What changed. The company was renamed ODDO BHF.

  Aftermath. The historical BHF Bank identity was incorporated into the ODDO BHF group, ending the independent BHF Bank brand.

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• 2004Separation of the BHF banking businessStrategy

  ING reorganized the former BHF business after the acquisition.

  What changed. Most operations, offices, and equity holdings were transferred into a newly founded BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft, which became wholly owned by Sal. Oppenheim.

  Aftermath. The bank entered a new ownership phase and continued to operate on a stand-alone basis.

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• 2002ING consolidation and delistingStrategy

  After acquiring BHF Bank, ING consolidated control over the institution.

  What changed. The bank was renamed ING BHF-Bank and removed from the stock exchange, with remaining shareholders squeezed out.

  Aftermath. BHF Bank ceased to be an independently listed banking company.

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• 1995Conversion into a stock corporationStrategy

  BHF Bank had operated as a partnership and was preparing for a more conventional corporate and public-market structure.

  What changed. The institution converted into a stock corporation and listed its shares.

  Aftermath. The change enabled a publicly traded ownership structure before the later ING acquisition and delisting.

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• 1975Adoption of the BHF Bank nameStrategy

  The merged institution's original formal name was lengthy and reflected both predecessor banks.

  What changed. The bank adopted the shorter BHF Bank name for its public identity.

  Aftermath. BHF Bank became the institution's principal historical brand until later ownership-related renamings.

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• 2017BHF-BANK is renamed ODDO BHF

  The company adopted the ODDO BHF name, integrating the historical BHF identity into the new group brand.

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• 2016Oddo acquires full ownership of BHF Kleinwort Benson Group

  French private bank Oddo et Cie completed the acquisition of the remaining shares of the group that indirectly owned BHF-BANK.

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• 2010BHF-BANK is placed on the market after Deutsche Bank acquires Sal. Oppenheim

  Following Deutsche Bank's takeover of Sal. Oppenheim, BHF-BANK continued as a stand-alone operation and was offered for sale.

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• 2004ING separates BHF-Bank operations into a new company

  ING reorganized the business, transferring most operations, offices, and equity holdings into a newly established BHF-BANK Aktiengesellschaft, which was acquired by Sal. Oppenheim.

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• 2002Bank is renamed ING BHF-Bank and delisted

  Under ING ownership, the bank adopted the ING BHF-Bank name and was removed from the stock exchange; remaining shareholders were squeezed out.

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• 1999ING acquires BHF Bank

  The Dutch financial group ING began acquiring BHF Bank, initiating a period of ownership and strategic restructuring under an international banking group.

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• 1995BHF Bank becomes publicly listed

  The bank changed from a partnership into a stock corporation and entered the public market.

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• 1975Bank adopts the BHF Bank name

  The merged institution was rebranded BHF Bank, a shorter name that became its best-known historical identity.

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• 1970BHF Bank is formed through the merger of Frankfurter Bank and Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft

  The two nineteenth-century German banking institutions were combined to create the bank that initially operated under the Berliner Handels-Gesellschaft – Frankfurter Bank name.

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1. BHF Bank