French banking leaders express their views in Le Monde
In a collective opinion piece published on March 30, they reiterated the role banks play in the day-to-day lives of French people and in the French economy.
Extract:
"For a little over four months now, hundreds of retail banking branches essential to local life, […] have been targeted, vandalized, pillaged, burnt and our branch staff physically threatened. We cannot tolerate […] the lives of our staff and clients being endangered […].
Contrary to general perception, the French banking industry contributes to our country’s economic growth, fostering employment and wealth in rural areas as well as in towns and cities."
The opinion piece was signed by the members of the Executive Committee of the French Banking Federation, the professional organization representing all banks operating in France: Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, CEO, BNP Paribas; Philippe Brassac, CEO, Crédit Agricole S.A; Laurent Mignon, Management Board Chairman, Groupe BPCE; Frédéric Oudéa, CEO, Société Générale Group; Nicolas Théry, National Confederation Chairman, Crédit Mutuel; Rémy Weber, Management Board Chairman, Banque Postale.