There was a certain amount of excitement at the Banque et caisse centrale de l'État (BCEE). The excitement was out of all proportion to the agenda for today's press conference. Initially scheduled for Tuesday, the press conference has been brought forward to Monday. Today's agenda: the announcement of "Strategy 2030". A strategy announced at the presentation of the bank's latest annual report last spring.

Generational renewal

A strategy that will involve "generational renewal", as indicated by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Camille Fohl. "To accompany this medium and long-term change, the management team is undergoing a generational renewal, with the forthcoming resignation of the Chief Executive, Françoise Thoma, who will remain in post until a successor is found via a rigorous recruitment process." Françoise Thoma will not be leaving BCEE. She will take on the role of strategic advisor to the Board of Directors. In particular, she will be responsible for monitoring regulatory developments.

The interested party justified her step aside by the fact that the bank - "in which I have served for 26 years" - "is at a turning point". "The directions taken today are aimed at defining the future of the institution for the next 10, 15, even 20 years", she detailed, expressing her desire to be "an active participant in this process of change by freeing up her current positions to make way for new skills".

Françoise Thoma's successor to be known before June 2026

Françoise Thoma's successor is not yet known. It will be at the end of a selection process described by the law governing the financial institution's articles of association and by the approval of the successor by the European Central Bank. While it is traditional for the post of Chief Executive to be filled through internal promotion, the process will be open to external candidates. As a reminder, Françoise Thoma succeeded Jean-Claude Finck in 2016.

No link has been made or acknowledged with the Caritas affair. It's just a case of "accelerated timing", admits Camille Fohl, for whom this departure is above all a question of generational renewal. A generational renewal that has also affected BGL BNP Paribas with the departure of its CEO, Béatrice Belorgey.

What about the 2030 plan? It will revolve around five fundamental pillars, according to Camille Fohl. These five strategic pillars are financial strength, commercial leadership, operational and technological excellence, a culture of risk and compliance, and investment in human resources. Ultimately, this generational renewal will involve both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. "We need to take the age pyramid into account," said Camille Fohl.