Deutsche Bank eyes foreign retail banking growth

FRANKFURT, March 28 (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) aims to build up its retail business outside Germany, Rainer Neske, head of the bank's retail business operations, said on Wednesday.

"We are investing in internationalisation," Neske said at a banking conference in the Rhine river city of Mainz, adding that there were a number of interesting markets in which Deutsche Bank was not active in the retail business.

Germany's largest bank plans to build out its retail network in Italy and has already doubled the number of branch offices in Poland to 62, Neske said.

Neske said it was important for German financial institutes to keep pace with developments in emerging markets like India and China, but he declined to comment on media reports that Deutsche plans to open a branch network in China.

Deutsche Bank has requested authorisation for a banking licence in China, however.

In Europe outside of Germany, Deutsche is active in retail business in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Poland.

Deutsche uses a branding strategy, selling high-value products and advisory services under its own name, and offering products such as consumer credit under other names like Prestitempo in Italy or db kredyt in Poland.

((Reporting by Hans Nagl, Writing by Jonathan Gould/Rory Channing; Reuters Messaging: jonathan.gould.reuters.com@reuters.net; +49 69 7565 1242)) Keywords: DEUTSCHEBANK RETAIL

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