The number of bankers and investment professionals in the EU earning more than €1mn hit a record in 2021 as investment banking boomed and Brexit pushed more staff to the continent. The ranks of top earners swelled more than 40 per cent to 1,957 in 2021, according to figures released yesterday by the European Banking Authority. «This increase is linked to the overall good performance of institutions, in particular in the area of investment banking and trading and sales, continuing relocations of staff from the UK to the EU and a general increase in salaries,» said the EBA. Italy, France and Spain took the lion’s share of the increase with 70 per cent, but Germany remains the member state with the largest number of high-earning bank employees, close to 600.
Investment bankers were the single largest subgroup, with almost 750 earning above €1mn across the EU. The highest-paid banker, according to the EBA, was in Spain, earning between €14mn and €15mn in 2021. The British government has taken steps to boost competition by removing the bankers’ bonus cap last year. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt also revealed a package of reforms in December, including relaxing ringfence rules that separated riskier investment banking from retail operations.
Recent years have been very good for investment bankers. Not sure 2023 or 2024 will be as good but this shouldn't be a big problem for people earning so much.
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