The Japan Times WORLD EYE REPORTS GERMANY'S RHINE-MAIN REGION
©THE JAPAN TIMES	Thursday, October 25, 2001

Legend in the making views future with optimism With over 30 years of experience behind him, Gontard & Metallbank chief Lothar Mark is pioneering a corporate cultural revolution."It has always been my belief that one must not run a company looking at the short-term fluctuations of the market," he says. "It is important for our clients to view us as anchors that provide stability in growth."

With that brief statement, prominent German banker Lothar Mark provides a glimpse into the "perfect way" of Gontard & Metallbank, which became one of the country's leading private and investment banks following the merger of Frankfurt-based Heinrich Gontard with MetallBank in 1999. Since then, Gontard & MetallBank has evolved into one of the most influential issuing houses for the "new market" of high-tech stocks. Yet, amid the battering that new market offerings have been enduring this past year, the Gontard & Metallbank executive chairman remains upbeat. The optimism is founded on analysis, as well as temperament. "We have built a sound structure through the merger of Heinrich Gontard and MetallBank. We have a diverse group of people from all over the world that bring something unique to our team," says Mark.

"Innovation" and "motivation" are catchwords for Lothar Mark.

"Compound that with the ability to offer our customers the services of an industrial bank, the intimacy and the discretion of a private bank, and the speedy operation and flexibility of a direct bank -- and you know you have a winner," he adds.

As chairman of the erstwhile MetallBank, Mark acted as one of the driving forces behind the link-up with Heinrich Gontard. The success of the merger and the subsequent stock offering exceeded expectations in terms of both integration and a new strategic focus on investment banking and asset management.

From the onset, Mark capitalized on a solid foundation to boost the company's growth. Working on areas ranging from new issues to employee share ownership programs, the bank has drawn its strength from diversity and dynamism -- making it a solid player even in a less-then-favorable climate for new issues.

With his powerful presence, the banking veteran stands as the appropriate symbol of what the Gontard & MetallBank is and what it intends to become.

A stickler for persistence and performance, Mark feels that one of his primary roles as a leader "is to make the people around me have the same passion that I do." Considering the relatively slim but highly productive team and continuous growth numbers, the executive's infectious passion has proven to make the difference.

Although Gontard & MetallBank may be considered a new player having been fully integrated only in 1999, it can trace a distinguished lineage back 275 years.

In 1726, Jacob Friedrich Gontard founded a drapery business in the burgeoning city of Frankfurt that soon grew into a trading firm that dealt in bills of exchange. The company evolved into a thriving bank with a strong securities business.

As he walks the corridors of Gontard & MetallBank's office, Mark brings with him the same spirit of Jacob Friedrich Gontard. In 2001, a mix of innovation and motivation remains the keystone of the new corporate culture being promoted. Staying solid despite a current downturn in the industry, this Frankfurt bank is certainly poised for sharper growth when the sector rebounds.