Banking and insurance in Hauts-de-France
So you thought Paris was THE financial services center in France? And yes, the capital has just moved up 10 places in the 26th Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI). But, did you know that our region is a vibrant banking and insurance hub? One hour from Paris by high-speed rail, Hauts-de-France is the ideal location, offering key advantages: a complete ecosystem, a large pool of skilled talent and a very attractive operating cost base.
Banking and insurance in Hauts-de-France
So you thought Paris was THE financial services center in France? And yes, the capital has just moved up 10 places in the 26th Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI). But, did you know that our region is a vibrant banking and insurance hub? One hour from Paris by high-speed rail, Hauts-de-France is the ideal location, offering key advantages: a complete ecosystem, a large pool of skilled talent and a very attractive operating cost base.
Banking plays a key role in the region, which is home to …
• a banking cluster
France’s second largest financial services center, with:
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- 69 credit institutions, including every leading French bank
- 13 global banks
Some 30 of these big names in banking have subsidiaries headquartered in Hauts-de-France.
- Nearly 80 financial firms complete the picture, providing services ranging from country risk hedging, credit insurance and guarantees, to private equity and consumer lending.
- A Banque de France regional office
- 1,725 bank branches and 19,000 staff within easy reach, delivering expert services to business and private customers in their home region.
• a dense network of consumer credit firms
Long a pioneer in mail order, e-commerce and retail, today Hauts-de-France is home to a host of consumer lending firms—including Finaref, Oney and Cofidis—that make Lille the top consumer finance hub in France.
No.2 region in France for insurance
When it comes to insurance, Hauts-de-France ranks second nationwide, with 7,800 jobs in the industry:
- almost €4 billion in total revenues
- both key French players and global industry giants
- a dense network of general insurance agents and brokers
- many pension and provident funds, with headquarters in the region
Questions about real estate and labor costs in Hauts-de-France?
Large pool of talent to meet the needs of the banking and insurance industries
A vibrant pool of talent
Home to France’s second-largest education cluster, the region is both young and densely populated.
- 33% of the population is under 25
- 3rd most populated region in France; 6 million inhabitants
Internationally acclaimed universities train your future employees
Expertise in training financial experts
The region’s specialized schools and universities offer a range of finance programs
SKEMA and EDHEC in Lille both feature in the Financial Times’ Top 10 Masters in Finance ranking.
Altogether, the region offers:
- 30 undergraduate programs
- 54 Masters programs
- 84 degree courses in 24 institutes of higher learning with over 5,000 graduates a year
Our schools and universities pride themselves on combining professional qualifications with practical experience: 69% of courses include internship options.
Expert talent on tap
Banking and insurance is a world of its own that demands top-notch legal and financial expertise. And in Hauts-de-France, we’ve got the expert ecosystem you need.
- 2,500 lawyers
- 330 notaries
- 5,500 auditors and accountants
Les Places Tertiaires publishes an annual guide to financial services in the region with a comprehensive list of all banking and insurance-related firms.
Euratechnologies FALC Incubator (Fintech – Assurtech - Legaltech – Cybersecurity)
The FALC incubator at Euratechnologies is one example of how we’re backing innovation in Hauts-de-France.
Based at Euratechnologies, this business incubator offers a customized program of support and incubation to start-ups in finance, insurance, law and cybersecurity. A dedicated team makes the cluster’s expertise and its partners’ specialist insights available to participants, who can also tap into a range of technology services, plus legal, financial and strategic guidance in areas from HR to marketing.
The incubator is open to early-stage, innovative projects and start-ups less than 12 months old. The 12-month program is free of charge and includes:
- Workshops
- Group and individual coaching
- Mentoring
- Opportunities to meet and network with other entrepreneurs
Contact course