The bank for a chaging world

Reconstruction and prosperity: "Les Trente Glorieuses"

1968 Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas

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Pierre Moussa,
Chairman of Paribas
from 1978 to 1981

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Lobby at 33 Wigmore Street,
headquarters of Paribas
Capital Markets in London.

Compagnie Financière de Paris et des Pays-Bas

Prompted by the Debré legislation of 1966, President Jean Reyre carried out a major reorganization of the bank and its legal structure two years later.

From that time, the group was controlled by a holding company, Compagnie Financière de Paris et des Pays-Bas, with interests divided among four specialized subsidiaries:

  • The Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas took over the banking and financial activities of the former bank.
  • OPFI (Omnium de Participations Financières et Industrielles) held all the Group's interests in industrial and commercial businesses in France.
  • OPB (Omnium de Participations Bancaires) took over the French holdings in banking and financial establishments.
  • Paribas International took control of the banking establishments and other investments outside of France.

Beginning in 1969, under the leadership of Jacques de Fouchier and subsequently of Pierre Moussa, the bank built up a network of subsidiaries and branches around the world. These new branches spanned the Middle East, the Far East and North America. European expansion continued and the bank acquired shares in mining operations, particularly in Africa via its COFIMER unit.

In the capital markets, it soon emerged as a major player in eurobonds and swaps. After the creation of Paribas Capital Markets in London in 1984 by Chairman Jean-Yves Haberer, it was the top bank for ECU-denominated issues.

In addition to its offices in Paris and Marseille, the bank began expanding its network on the homefront as of 1967, covering the greater Paris region and major French cities.

Under Jacques de Fouchier, who became Chairman in 1969, the bank forged closer ties with the Compagnie Bancaire group that Mr. de Fouchier had founded.

The 1970s and 1980s also saw growth in asset management services for private and institutional clients, traditionally focused in Geneva since the 19th century, then in recent times expanding to Luxemburg, Paris, London, New York and Tokyo with the creation of Paribas Asset Management.

During the same period, Paribas established closer relations with other merchant or investment banks such as SG Warburg of the U.K. and AG Becker of the U.S. It founded the Warburg Paribas Becker investment bank in the United States, which was taken over in 1984 by Merrill Lynch. Towards the end of the 1970s, Paribas became increasingly involved in financing the oil trade. The bank carried out these business operations mostly from Geneva, New York, London and Paris, and soon established sustained leadership in the oil trade.

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