Bankgesellschasft Berlin AG

Over the weekend I do a dry run to the headquarters of the three companies being visited. Bankgesellschasft Berlin, with $13 billion in revenues and 16,000 employees, gets to call itself the biggest bank in Berlin. Headquarters is a blah-looking, eight-story building in Alexanderplatz, the big sprawling square situated in the formerly Communist-held part of Berlin. The building lies within spitting distance to the tram tracks passing by.

Even if you've never been to Berlin before it's still very easy to tell the former Communist-held sections (East) from the non-Communist (West). Alexanderplatz is a good example. With its slew of ugly, box-like buildings from the 1950's you feel you've entered a time warp. Alexanderplatz would definitely not qualify, as one of Berlin's most prestigious business addresses. Methinks the company's reason for being located here is more symbolic than anything else.