Access Bank Plc, the flagship company of Access Holdings Plc, yesterday, officially launched its subsidiary in Paris, France..
The bank, in a statement yesterday, explained that its
operations would focus on trade finance, initially capitalising on flows between
Africa and France, particularly Francophone Africa.
Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc,
Herbert Wigwe, speaking on the purpose of the bank’s strategic expansion
efforts said, “Access Bank Plc, today, has a very strong presence in the United
Kingdom, but coming on the heels of Brexit, there was a need for us to
establish a presence in another country in Europe and France provides a very
strong platform for us to do so.
“Beyond that, Access Bank has a great presence in the
Francophone world that relies significantly – in terms of trade – on France,
so, Access Bank in Paris will work to support trade possibilities and trade
finance solutions to businesses in those regions, ranging from large
conglomerates to SMEs and more.“Our range of banking products and services will
be a valuable asset for businesses looking to trade internationally, while our
corporate and investment banking services will help businesses access capital,
manage their cash flow, and mitigate risk. “Furthermore, we are confident that
the Bank’s trade finance solutions will help businesses to navigate the
complexities of cross-border trade, and at the same time, our digital
capabilities will make banking more convenient and efficient for all our
customers,” he reiterated.
Recognising the critical role of the bank’s various
stakeholders in making the expansion drive successful, Wigwe stressed the value
of its customers, shareholders, regulators, and the communities it operates.
“Our successes over the years would be footnotes but for the
relationships we have fostered with these critical contributors. In recognition
of this, we are committed to building long-term partnerships with all our
stakeholders in France – based on trust, transparency, and mutual respect,” he
added.
“Access Bank’s presence in France represents an important
step towards achieving its goal of bridging worlds and connecting opportunities
for African businesses. The bank’s latest stride also lays a marker for
realising its recently unveiled 5-year strategic growth plan.“Over the years,
we have demonstrated a strong commitment to deepening the Bank’s presence
across Africa and beyond,” remarked, Managing Director, Access Bank Plc,
Roosevelt Ogbonna, said at the launch.
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| Jamie Simmonds, CEO, Access Bank UK Limited (left); Dr. Herbert Wigwe, GMD/CEO, Access Holdings Plc; Olivier Becht, France Minister of Foreign Trade; Aigboje Aig-Imoukuede, Chairman, Coronation Capital; Roosevelt Ogbonna, MD/CEO, Access Bank Plc and Pascal Furth, Head of Regional Economic Department, French Embassy, Nigeria, during the launch of Access bank branch in Paris, France… on Thursday. |
“We are proud to have a presence in 18 countries across four continents, serving millions of customers and businesses. Indeed, our expansion drive has been guided by our vision to become the world’s most respected African bank, and by building on our strong track record of innovation, customer service, and social responsibility, we have come one step closer to achieving this goal.
“We remain committed to building a bank that is truly global
in scope, yet locally relevant in its approach, and we are excited about the
opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to grow and expand our footprint in
new markets,” Ogbonna added. Access Bank UK, led by Jamie Simmonds, would
oversee the operations of the Paris subsidiary and would effectively become the
umbrella company for other representative offices in the country.
“With the launch of its operations in France, Access Bank is
uniquely positioned to create opportunities for scaled economic growth and
development across Africa while helping international investors see the
continent as a viable market to do business.
“To facilitate the flow of capital, goods, and services
across borders and support economic growth and development in both regions of
focus, the Bank will leverage its expertise in cross-continental trade and its
strong network of partners and clients,” the statement added.