dbAccess European Champions Conference: Key Takeaways from hosting the European C-Suite

Research evidence excerpt

dbAccess European Champions Conference: Key Takeaways from hosting the European C-Suite

Deutsche Bank

Research

Europe Strategy Date

28 May 2026

dbAccess European Strategy Update

Champions

Conference

Key Takeaways from hosting the

European C-Suite

Tim Rokossa

This week, we hosted the 29th annual dbAccess European Champions Conference

Head of European Equity Research

in Frankfurt, bringing together 111 leading European companies and over 550 +49-69-910-31998

participants across two days of fireside chats and investor meetings. We also held

panel discussions with several senior executives on the German investment case, Maximilian Uleer

Strategist

the European energy transition and the AI transformation.

+49-69-910-41355

Key discussion topics included geopolitical uncertainty, elevated energy prices, Carolin Raab, CFA

cost control and the integration of AI. Across sectors, targeted M&A was another Strategist

focus. Apart from that, discussions were rather company-specific, indicating that +49-69-910-43958

macro concerns - perhaps surprisingly to many - remain relatively contained. While Francesca Mazzali

global growth is uneven, the environment is not perceived as deteriorating Strategist

materially, and geopolitical risks are viewed as manageable. The overall tone was +49-69-910-47636

broadly constructive, supported by strong pricing power, resilient demand and

disciplined margin management.

1) Regional dynamics – no major growth but demand remains resilient, albeit

uneven, and costs under control

A clear regional divergence persists: Near-term growth opportunities overall are

limited with Europe being characterised as a region of resilience but not as a broad

engine of cyclical growth. Energy costs and limited capex incentives remain a