Market Chatter: UniCredit Reportedly Plans Full Commerzbank Takeover, Board Overhaul by Early 2027

04:10 AM EDT, 09/29/2026 (MT Newswires) -- UniCredit (UCG.MI) plans to take full control of Commerzbank (CBK.F), replace 10 board members and remove Chief Executive Officer Bettina Orlopp as early as January, London's Financial Times reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Italian lender had previously planned to seek full ownership in the second quarter of 2027, but is now looking to accelerate the process. The timeline could still be pushed back to Commerzbank's annual general meeting in May 2027, according to the report. Following a full takeover, UniCredit CEO Andrea Orcel intends to scale back Commerzbank's international network and cut 20 billion euros of corporate lending outside Germany and Poland, FT said. UniCredit did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment, while Commerzbank declined to comment. (Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)