A new entity in China to improve our M&A advisory services
In March 2023, Crédit Agricole CIB announced the creation of Crédit Agricole (Beijing) Advisory Services, a new entity dedicated to M&A advisory in China.
This new entity will enable the Bank to increase its onshore strategic advisory capacity for investment banking activities, thereby underpinning the commitment to expand its business in the region and support its clients in mainland China. This is another milestone in Crédit Agricole CIB’s journey in China, a country where the Bank has been serving its clients since 1898 and home to its largest franchise in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of revenue.
The scope of Crédit Agricole (Beijing) Advisory Services Co., Ltd. covers cross-border mergers and acquisitions, including purchases, disposals and raising capital. This new organisation aims to support its clients’ business development, connecting them to new investors and to the Bank’s global network of sector-based green advisors in order to better serve its local and international clients in mainland China.
A new branch in Copenhagen to bolster the Bank’s presence in the Nordic countries
In 2023, Crédit Agricole CIB opened a branch in Copenhagen, Denmark. This initiative was part of the Bank’s strategic plan, which consists in boosting its presence in Europe and seizing the opportunities offered by the Nordic market. Crédit Agricole CIB has been active in Denmark for several decades through its regional network and now has a local presence to meet its clients’ needs and support their growth.
As a world leader in sustainable finance, Crédit Agricole CIB will enhance its CSR product offerings for corporations and financial institutions in Denmark, a country that has put the energy transition and renewable energy production at the heart of its national strategy. In doing so, the Bank aims to offer a solid value proposition to support its Danish clients in their climate transition.
A new licence in South Korea to expand market activities
At the end of March, Crédit Agricole CIB’s securities entity in South Korea, Crédit Agricole Securities (Asia) Ltd. - Seoul branch (CASAL), obtained an OTC derivative brokerage licence from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of South Korea.
Up until now, CASAL’s activities have focused on the origination of foreign-currency bonds for Korean issuers and the distribution of capital-protected investment products to investors. This new licence will increase CASAL’s access to the local market and broaden its product offerings to include a wide range of derivatives and bond derivatives with all types of underlyings (interest rates, forex, equities, credit, etc.). This expanded product range will better meet the needs of Korean clients and help them diversify their investment and hedging strategies.
A change in Structured Finance to support the energy transition
To accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy for the Bank’s clients, the Resources & Industry (R&I) team within Structured Finance, which specialises in advisory and financing for projects with limited resources, is now focusing on four sub-segments of the transition: green molecules (biofuels, green hydrogen and e-fuels); carbon capture, transport and storage; the battery value chain for electric vehicles; and the decarbonisation of industries with high CO2 emissions (steel, aluminium, cement, etc.).
The idea is to be more agile in responding to technological, economic and regulatory changes, to facilitate the exchange of information and to capitalise on the expertise of our teams in financing major industrial projects.
This focus on the low-carbon economy is fully in line with the Group’s objective to be a major player in the economy’s transition.