HSBC Holdings intends to eliminate equity sales and trading roles in Germany, marking another step in the restructuring of its investment banking division. Since CEO Georges Elhedery took the helm in September of last year, HSBC has accelerated its "simplification" strategy, which has seen the layoffs of numerous analysts and the closure of equity capital markets and mergers and acquisitions departments across the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe. Furthermore, HSBC has merged its commercial and investment banking divisions and now operates its UK and Hong Kong businesses autonomously, further streamlining its operational structure.