It all started in 1867, when
Comptoir National d’Escompte de Paris (CNEP) established a branch in London – the
first French bank to do so.
A primary role in the UK
A century and a half later and BNP Paribas’ presence in the UK has
grown substantially.
Today the BNP Paribas Group is formed of 9 businesses, based in 19
locations right across the UK, and employs more than 7,500 people.
Anne Marie Verstraeten, BNP Paribas Group Country
Head for the UK, explains: “As a client-centric bank, the UK is an important
market for the BNP Paribas Group and plays a crucial role in the Group’s
2020 Business Development Plan. It’s the breadth and depth of our presence –
combined with longevity – that helps to distinguish BNP Paribas from other
international banks operating in the UK.”
The UK is an important market for the BNP Paribas group and plays a crucial role in the group’s 2020 business development plan
Anne Marie Verstraeten, BNP Paribas Group Country Head
for the UK
The UK’s established position
as a prominent hub for global business is a perfect fit with the range of
services and solutions BNP Paribas provides. The bank therefore supports UK
companies to conduct business at home and abroad. Equally, our international
network accompanies corporates and financial institutions from Europe, the
Americas and Asia with their trade and investments in the UK. In short,
BNP Paribas contributes to the growth of UK plc by providing global access
and a full suite of solutions to our broad client base via a local service.
A broader contribution to UK society
As
the bank for a changing world, BNP Paribas UK actively supports initiatives
that inspire and make a difference to society – from sponsoring tennis, the
arts and philanthropy, to tackling climate change.
BNP
Paribas is a strong supporter of British tennis through its sponsorship of the
Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), a relationship that spans nine years to date.
Recognising
the important role the arts play in shaping how we interpret the world around
us, BNP Paribas is an active patron of the arts in the UK. This has included sponsoring shows, funding
community programmes and supporting artists.
Since 2008, BNP Paribas UK has sponsored a number of exhibitions, the
most recent being the Abstract Expressionism review at the Royal Academy of
Arts.
What’s next?
Anne-Marie Verstraeten concludes: “Our 150th anniversary is a great milestone, one which has been made possible thanks to the ongoing support of our clients, the communities in which we operate and, of course, our colleagues.”We will continue to add value to our clients and our stakeholders
Anne Marie Verstraeten,
BNP Paribas Group Country Head for the UK
“We
can look ahead with confidence. We are
investing in growth and working on the UK Growth Plan to help better serve
domestic UK corporate and institutional clients, and UK subsidiaries of
multinational groups. Our ethos for the
future will be the same that has underpinned our progress to date – stay close
to our clients, manage change effectively and contribute to broader UK
society. In so doing we will continue to
add value to our clients and stakeholders, delivering on our brand promise of
being the bank for a changing world.”