JGDE. You are the Managing Director of Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, can you introduce us to your group?
Ronan Le Moal. Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, a Crédit Mutuel (Bretagne, South-West and Massif Central) federation, and thirty specialised subsidiaries, is listed in the Top 40 of European banks. Born in Bretagne, Crédit Mutuel Arkéa maintains its main decision-making centers, with more than 6,200 jobs (out of a total of 9,000). This territorial anchorage – a true trademark – did not slow down our development. The group is today a very diversified group and continues to open up new businesses and markets. He has thus become one of the leaders of online banking in Europe, with Fortuneo and Keytrade Bank. Monext, our electronic payments subsidiary, processes more than two billion transactions per year in 26 countries.
JGDE. What are the key factors in your strategy?
RLM. Crédit Mutuel Arkéa relies on its agility and technological strength to seize opportunities arising from the transformation of its environment and consumption patterns. In addition to our retail banking activities, we are strengthening our white label banking activities for other financial institutions and distribution companies (RCI Bank, Allianz, etc.). We are also continuing our strategic partnerships with the Fintechs, which allow us to extend our range of services and provide the best response to our customers’ expectations.
JGDE. Can you come back to your partnership with the French Tech Brest +?
RLM. We want to co-build an innovation ecosystem by involving all of our stakeholders. We are, for example, partners of France Digitale, the benchmark association for the digital economy, and the West Web Valley that broods the digital nuggets of western France. The French Tech Brest +, of which I preside, plays the role of accelerator by providing the startups with resources essential to their growth. It helps to create a climate of trust, to favor the «network effect» by bringing together large groups and startups, while enhancing the use of digital technology.
JGDE. What are your future projects in the territories and new technologies?
RLM. We wish to remain a reference point for the actors of the development of the territories via in particular our capital-investment schemes for the regional companies as well as our thematic investments in the social innovation or the sector Sea, in a step of sustainable and responsible development. It is essential to preserve decision-making centers and employment pools in the regions. As for the technology, Crédit Mutuel Arkéa feeds the legitimate ambition to play the precursors, to be a model to follow by privileging the innovation which brings a real added value to its 4.1 million customers, in terms of accessibility, simplicity, security and quality of service.
