Bad Banks (2018) s02e01 Episode Script

Schöne Neue Welt

Do you want to climb up the career ladder? Of course.
Why? Next week we will really go in, and then we will screw over Global.
The markets reacted abruptly to the release of documents proving that Deutsche Global Invest sold rubbish assets worth billions to themselves.
What for, Jana? I set up an account in the Virgin Islands.
Ask for Jason Picelli, he's informed.
If this gets out, we will go to jail.
If it was you, I'll go to prison because of you.
If you're smart, you will stay away from me.
Tell me what's going on, Ties.
The government is under pressure to save Global.
We are trying to use that.
I believe our interests overlap now.
I'll get out of prison quicker than you think.
I'll kill you.
I'll kill you.
I understand how far they'll go now.
They saw how far I went.
- What is your demand? - My team.
Thao Hong.
Adam Pohl.
And Shanti Bhardevej.
And you should keep Luc.
If we can destroy each other's careers, it means we can also be loyal.
- Nobody is loyal.
- Don't worry.
You hold sway over us.
I just wanted to say a quick goodbye.
You asked why I wanted to go up the career ladder.
I don't know.
I have absolutely no idea.
But I need it.
BAD BANKS The persistent inventiveness of the FinTech field will aid German Global Invest in having a new, more brilliant future with a newly opened incubator in Berlin.
There are still FinTech solutions that the old banks are far away from.
Also in Berlin, new finance minister Alexander Schrunk was sworn in today in the Bundestag.
Schrunk is the successor of Volker Lemgo, who died unexpectedly.
He is the youngest finance minister in the federal republic's history.
Thank you, but don't send Flo any presents anymore.
Dear Flo, best wishes on your birthday.
I miss you.
We will see each other again soon.
Jana DEUTSCHE GLOBAL INVEST, FRANKFURT AM MAIN We're on a sinking ship.
They put us in this basement, I only do regulations all day, we haven't torn anything for months.
They got rid of 6,000 out of 10,000 jobs.
Let's face it: investment banking is dead.
They're building an incubator in Berlin, and we're waiting for the downfall.
We could've had our own FinTech a long time ago.
Jana! By now I don't care that we have our differences, you've had nothing on them for six months! The incubator belongs to Global too.
The boss Ties Jacoby is one of Leblanc's biggest enemies.
She won't let us switch.
You wouldn't be able to handle it? Leaving while she's there.
- It's not about Leblanc.
- Right.
I don't give a crap about your revenge, Jana.
Deutsche Global Invest Incubator, Berlin Impressive.
We have applications from over 200 startups who want to work in here.
I show you the heart.
Our think tanks In two weeks this place will be absolutely packed.
We have space for 200 FinTechs.
Whether we like it or not, this is the future of banking.
We were just at the bank.
There are problems! Well, girls? What do I have for you? What about a wind farm in Norway that's about to go broke or a parastatal Polish chemical plant that has been in the red for years? But seriously, did you notice that numerous hedge funds are betting against Emox? Even Waterfront? Yes, why? Because the Emox boss is in Leblanc's office right now, and that's a bad situation for our Leblanc because Emox is a big client of the bank.
She has to support them even though she'd prefer to bet against them.
Alright, I'll continue to sell my junk to dimwits.
Thao, help me quick.
Who is the head of Central Risk Book? This guy here, transitionally.
The position on the board is vacant.
So he's subordinate to Leblanc.
Show me his employees.
Go on.
Go on, go on Stop! I didn't know that.
A huge promotion from Central Risk Book accounting.
My daughter is with me.
She keeps hearing that she won't be getting a pension and will have to take care of it privately, but how? Saving doesn't amount to anything, we don't trust the banks, real estate is too expensive, and politicians avoid the question as if there's something they don't want to say.
Is that true? Is there something you're not saying? Like what's really changed since the crisis six months ago? - We warded off the crisis.
- With an unhealthy fusion.
The bank is still called Deutsche Global Investment.
We saved Germany's largest bank.
What's unhealthy? The appointment of Robert Khanos as head of the board.
He's one of the men that caused the crisis.
The government is seated in the supervisory board.
Nothing is like it was six months ago.
I can tell you what politicians don't dare to say out loud.
Uncomfortable truths.
But believe me, that will end with me.
Christelle Leblanc Incoming call Calling Mohamed Saltan Momo.
- If anyone sees us - That'd be bad.
Your new friend Sydow, for example.
- I have nothing to do with him.
- He gave you this job.
Loyal people betray their colleagues to get promoted.
You don't know what it's like to have a family True.
It's great to have a family and to be able to use it as an excuse.
Momo, you were sick about what went on in the bank.
- You wanted to spill the beans - Fine, I'm a coward! What do you want from me? I want you to check if Global is secretly betting against Emox.
Just harmless info.
Is Central Risk Book betting against our own client Emox? Jana Momo.
You owe me that.
And honestly, you owe it to yourself.
I'll tell you this now, and then we're even, you'll leave me alone, got it? Global has made a huge internal bet against Emox.
At least 400 million.
- Christelle! - Are you ignoring my calls? What? No! The finance minister is just driving me nuts.
- I need your full support.
- Of course.
Ms.
Leblanc, so nice to see you.
May I ask you to wait here? You'll be called in soon.
Sure.
Excuse me gentlemen.
This is Mister Chan.
And we are going to do some great business together.
And I put on my special suit.
To sum things up: It's been a challenging six month, but today I am happy to say I am confident we are back on track.
We heard that Günther Voigt of Emox paid you a surprise visit today.
Voigt was concerned about three American hedge funds that are shorting his organization.
Emox is very important for us.
So, how can we help? He would like us to calm down the shareholders and the market.
And to make it very clear that we think the hedge funds are wrong.
But I think it's not something, that If that's the reaction Voigt wants from us, that's the reaction he gets.
Customers first.
Since he spoke to you, you should be the one to handle it.
And finally we talked about your proposal regarding the investment banking.
Yes.
Maria? As you know, I'm trying to demonstrate that investment banking in this organization I am really sorry to interrupt you, but we all received your material, and your ideas in how to boost the investment banking department.
And we all have the same misgivings about your proposed approach.
It's not about boosting, it's about restoring the department to its former strength.
Yeah, but that won't happen with the current regulations.
We've just invested massively in the incubator in Berlin because we believe we have to prepare this bank for the future, not for the past.
Excuse me, just for a moment.
Christelle, thank you very much for your insight.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
Isabelle, call the stock market journalist who wants an interview with me.
Correctional Facility, Frankfurt am Main I don't have aggression issues.
The others here do.
I didn't do things here because I am aggressive or mentally unstable.
I did it all because I had a plan.
A simple plan.
I wanted to take each and everyone one of these bums apart.
Very deliberately.
Without compromises.
No one will screw with me anymore.
The rumours about Emox have been making the rounds and the markets have already reacted to it.
What do you have to say about the speculations? When a hedge fund decides to speculate against Emox, it doesn't say anything about the health of a company.
Honestly, it's a puzzle to me.
Our analyst opinion is public, and we as a bank recommend to buy stocks.
But many have Emox is a huge client of the bank.
Leblanc is pushing the stock.
But she's using Central Risk Book to secretly bet against it.
You're sure? Absolutely.
She must've given orders in Central Risk Book to shorten Emox.
If we leak that, she'll be terminated.
We've got her.
Fuck yes! We all want to go to the incubator, right? We'll make a plan now, sit down.
Sit down! TAMARIN, MAURITIUS - Mr.
Picelli? Climb in.
- What's going on? I just want to talk.
If we want our own start-up, we need something innovative.
That doesn't suit us.
We aren't tree huggers.
But good business people.
A FinTech called Green Wallet only invests in sustainable stocks.
- Isn't the topic a bit passé? - That's crap! Thao! Sustainability is a great brand, and it will stay that way, but it's risky.
Yes.
That's why no one dares to do it.
Green Wallet are the only ones who got it till now.
Let's make a business plan.
Ties is distributing the money next week.
We'll lose the restaurant! - Next week already? - Yes.
I have to go, sorry.
See you tomorrow.
It will finally start again.
- Dad can't see you, he's very angry.
- Why is he angry? I didn't do anything.
I don't know what we should do.
I'm sorry we didn't have these meetings more often in the last weeks.
You did good work, despite the difficult fusion.
We could always depend on your team.
But things can't go on like this.
I've waited for too long.
I tried to take the normal path for too long.
That's over with.
How old are you? 55? 56? No, 58! How many years still interest you? How many years do you plan for? For me it's forty.
Forty years that I still have in this field.
You and the board? Ten? More likely five? Thanks, but I'm not hungry.
What mistake did you make? What kind of FinTech do you have in mind? Let me guess, something with sustainability? Sit down.
In order for you to value me in the future, you have to learn from your mistakes.
In the camera, in English.
My name is Jason Picelli.
A man named Felix Bender instructed me to open two accounts in Virgin Islands.
I chose Mauritius because it's safer right now.
Bender, he transferred two million euros for someone named Jana Liekam, and two million euros for someone named Adam Pohl.
Did you already write the supervisors? Or whatever you wanted to start with the information about Emox.
The typical power games happen on the board.
Khano wants to blame me for the badly running fusion.
Sydow acts loyal, and is already undermining him behind his back.
No matter how it pans out, I'm the pawn.
You'll get what you want.
You will convince Ties Jacoby and go to the incubator, and help me destroy him from there.
Your position is my best shot at getting on the board right now.
Your mistake was your impatience.
Now your life is reliant on mine.
If I fall, you'll fall with me.
Eat.
Eat! Fuck! Fucking shit! Fuck! Sentencing for insider trading We have to meet.
- Does Picelli name us in the video? - Yes.
She must've really invested.
Greased people's hands, maybe the police I have no idea.
The board is against her, the restructuring went badly, investment banking'll be phased out, everyone here assumes her head will roll.
That can't happen anymore.
- What do I have to do with this? - Fuck you! We're a team, right? Our future depends on hers, whether we like it or not.
So let's get a grip and not waste any time.
Let's create a robo-advisor that only invests in sustainable stocks.
This eco crap doesn't interest me! We'll propose a convincing FinTech! We'll do our thing despite this! Jana, one call from Leblanc and we land in prison! We aren't just going to propose a generic FinTech to Ties! He'll only be convinced by something we believe in.
The topic of sustainability works in the food industry, it works with electricity providers, and it will also work in the financial market.
Shanti is back on the team, I've spoken to him.
He's a very good coder.
He'll assemble a team to build us a robo-advisor.
A robo-advisor is a so-called FinTech.
And FinTechs are start-ups Start-ups, you know? These FinTechs develop modern finance technology that are annoying to old banks.
Shanti? We're starting.
No one'll go to the bank to open an account anymore, that's old school! Your account will be on your cell phone! To invest money, you don't have to trust some vulture from a bank who just wants to rip you off, but rather an algorithm.
Robo-advisors are FinTechs that lets every individual invest money.
Equity funds and so on.
Anything you want.
Without a damn bank! Without advisors.
Everything just with smart algorithms.
Why are you, a bank bastard, telling us all this crap? Let him speak.
- I'm not interested in this crap! - What'll interest you - Great.
- Shut your stupid mouth.
My aggression is under control, but not his.
- Shut up! - I'm shutting up.
- I'll fuck up your life.
- It's not your turn.
Our flight to Berlin is in four hours.
- Careful you idiot! - Damn Berlin.
Mr.
Jacoby will be here in a minute.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
All robo-advisors have the same problem.
There are too many and they're identical.
They'll all cannibalize each other in the next few years.
Our robo is the only one that only deals with sustainable financial products.
Who wants that? I was just as sceptical when it wasn't profitable.
Organic food, renewable energy, but the ones who were first to invest in this are being rewarded.
- This time we are the pioneers.
- Do you think I didn't do my homework? There is already a robo that does just that.
- Green Wallet.
- It is similar.
And still small enough to beat.
Besides, we would have the backing of Global in the incubator.
They can't prevent that.
How is Christelle? Alright.
She doesn't have an easy task at the moment.
If you start here, you'll all lose your jobs in Frankfurt.
Even if the project here quickly fails.
You want to risk that? Yes? Let's be clear.
We need quick results.
It'll take too much time until you set up a start-up here.
Besides, there's already Green Wallet out there.
But I have a suggestion.
Why don't we get them here? Green Wallet is small, promising, badly financed, unfortunately the banks bear it and can't sell it.
If you still manage to make them sell us a majority, we will get it here and really foster it.
I can't offer you anything else.
Thank you.
It's clear that they need money.
- Hi guys, come in! - Thank you.
Welcome, you can wait here, somebody will be right here in a few minutes.
- Perfect.
- Merci.
- Is it art, or can I sit here? - Yes, you can sit there.
Systems that kill their host Cancer virus I'm serious.
I know.
It's a schizophrenic situation.
There's a lot of interest in Green Wallet but no competition because everyone believes in what we're doing but no one dares to do it themselves.
Here's our kitchen, PR, media and marketing.
This is our finance wizards that make sure our portfolio is filled with profitable funds and ETFs.
They ensure that profit and sustainability don't contradict themselves.
Here is the heart of the company, our tech area where our coders work round the clock.
Our lead engineer Hannah will come in a bit, but we have to be frank.
I worked for Lindberg for six years and Ben worked for Goldman for five.
We founded Green Wallet to get out of the banks.
That's totally understandable.
But I think Global's incubator gives the opportunity to unite the best of both worlds.
- The German locust have arrived.
- Hi, nice to meet you, Jana Liekam.
Hannah.
We were surprised to hear from you.
GreenWallet is a declaration of war on all the corporations and banks.
We try to give our customers, what your banks can't give them.
I say that can still be done, and much more effectively GreenWallet lives by its idea.
To allow ourselves to be bought up by you would be a betrayal of the idea.
We can shorten things.
Just ask.
- Ben Kaufmann, CEO.
- Yes.
You don't have interest in collaborating, you invited us to check the market value - So just ask.
- A big investor will get on board I'm talking to him.
It's pretty easy to convince an idealist about our company, but this is the first time that real careerists have shown up.
And it's a pretty motivating signal for us.
Honestly.
- Thank you.
- Thank you for your time.
These damn musky idiots, stupid eco-friendly wimps.
So what? We'll take over a different FinTech.
Wait a minute.
If the rumours are true, do you know who their investor is? - People should invest money in us - For real? This idiot from TV? To pretend to be eco-friendly and get financed by this guy - Should I go back to work now? - No, wait.
But I really can go.
It was a pleasure.
Good talk.
Great.
I'll see you tomorrow.
- Minister! - Mr.
Sydow.
- Good day.
- Who was that? A refugee who is interning in my foundation.
These people will also pay our pension.
The legal proceedings against Fenger don't help anyone.
Not the government and definitely not the tax payers.
The Silver Mountain case against your bank should be set aside now.
I'm doing my part in speeding that up.
Let's be honest.
The fusion and the restructuring of your bank didn't go well.
You have to check with our chairman if he believes that the problem is our head of investment.
The EZB's low interest rate policy, the constant struggle for consolidation, Leblanc's conservative estimate Wounded wolves bite.
I admire Khano somehow.
He has to master an enormously difficult situation, this pressure.
He's the face of the crisis.
The pressure rises if you already have a successor in place.
We know that it's you.
Khano does too.
But we can't use this kind of pressure at the moment.
I agree with your completely.
But I don't have any ambitions like that at the moment.
I'm just bound to the truth.
Thank you.
Davie! Welcome to my office.
So, how's it going? It's Frankfurt.
Yesterday I didn't get served at a restaurant.
- Because you look like crap.
- Maybe so, I don't know.
Tomorrow is your big day.
- Yes.
- Can we do anything? You shouldn't do anything.
No one should find out about it for as long as I'm in here.
We'll only make it public when I get out.
High finance.
Come on in, it's cold.
Everything is chill.
I was just about to go swimming.
But first, cheers! Who's swimming with me? You're a nice 36 or 34, right? - I don't have a bathing suit.
- I have lots of bikinis.
Do you have one for me? Of course, my man! I have one for everyone.
Maybe later.
I heard the Green Wallet contracts aren't signed yet.
Green Wallet is a diamond in the rough.
But I have to kick people's ass every week.
- We're very good at ass kicking.
- People.
Green Wallet wants to have nothing to do with banks.
And I feel comfortable being the main investor.
Despite the risk that Global would take off from you? How would that work? You would cut off their funding.
Immediately.
Then they're guaranteed to return to our offer, Global will invest massively, and you'll get a 20% share without voting rights.
That's a really fucked-up plan, you know that, right? But fucked-up can be cool, right? I'll think about it.
Under one condition.
You two pretty ladies come swimming.
- Stop it.
- Come on, we'll go swimming.
Shit! What you're offering is illegal! You're lucky if I don't report you! - Sorry, guys.
- Come on! What do we do now? Will it make you feel better to say that everything is my fault? That I messed it all up for you? - It's a fact.
- Seriously? Leon calling Leon! Dad! I can't believe it, how are you? Where are you? At home.
- And your mother? - Outside in the car.
It's good to see you.
It's been ages.
How are you? - Good.
- Did you have a game on Saturday? - Yes, I scored two goals! - Very good.
A goal machine! Can you put Nora on? - Who? - Nora, your sister.
Her name is Mila.
Mila, yes, I meant Mila.
Can you show her to me? She's over there.
Can you go there and show her to me? Okay.
Mum is coming again! Then hang up.
- Hang up.
- Can't we talk a bit more? - Hang up, Leon.
- Are you coming back home? - I can't go to prison.
- We aren't going to go to prison.
Don't come home.
Dad is angry.
Let's fly back first.
Can I sleep at your place tonight? I have a burst pipe, it's like a construction site at my place.
Yes.
It didn't work.
Mr.
Jacoby! You can't go in! Jana, Adam and Thao want to join the incubator, did you know? - What about me? - Not now, Luc.
Not now Luc I need more time.
It didn't work with Green Wallet.
It's still on.
You'll go to the incubator this week.
How would that work? We didn't do it, it didn't work.
- Do what you have to do.
- I just said Stop contradicting me, goddamn it! Learn not to accept no as an answer.
Leave.
Exactly, just call.
Thank you, and sorry for disturbing.
Good evening, Mrs.
Kress.
I'm Helen Schmidt from the law firm Thal and Griebe.
Sorry for calling late, but we're investigating your former boss Carlo Leiing, we're in a rush.
The suit is about harassment in the workplace.
We've already talked to several victims who are prepared to support my client's statements, and the harassment is mostly of a sexual nature.
That's why I understand.
Nothing happened, or you don't want to talk about it? Look.
Her, her, her - Do you think? - No, too ugly.
I understand that you're afraid to talk about it.
No, it's absolutely confidential.
The only thing I need is a sign that you'd be willing to talk.
It isn't an easy decision, but I can guarantee we've found some women who are ready to talk about it.
Very good, thank you.
Have a nice day.
Slept with him Still works with him Just a second.
The deal was you take over Green Wallet and I get a 20% share.
The deal doesn't exist anymore.
I know people like Jana.
If we do the deal with them they will devour us.
If we lose any more time, the others will leave us in the dust.
- They will devour us! - Why is Leiing bailing on us like this? I really think, we should reconsider the DGI offer.
In the current state of investigation it can't be proven with certainty that the defendant knowingly made a deal with the Silver Mountain company that belonged to his own organisation.
Even if the evidence can be provided, considering the allegation, it will probably end up being a suspended sentence or a fine.
This is why the arrest warrant is being repealed, and the defendant will be released from custody.
Hello! Fenger was released Well, well That's a surprise! - Congratulations on being released.
- Thank you.
We never had a chance to get to know each other.
Can I offer you a ride? Hi! Sorry about what happened to you.
I know what you are.
I don't think we need any more idealists on our team.
We need someone like you.
No matter what you have to do to win, you're fighting for the good guys now.
See you tomorrow.

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