Founded in 1864, Societe Generale originally opened its doors to support the Industrial Revolution and meet the financing needs of industry, first in France and then throughout Europe. In 1973, a century after its inception, Societe Generale opened a Bank branch in Tokyo to initiate business with Japanese clients. For over 35 years now, we have provided Japanese customers with financial services built on its cutting-edge technologies as a leading French financial institution.

Today, Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking (SG CIB) in Japan consists of three core businesses: Societe Generale, Tokyo Branch; Societe Generale Securities, Tokyo Branch; and our asset manager Lyxor Japan. With a current and growing combined workforce of over 250 dedicated employees, these three entities are in line with SG CIB’s worldwide focus on Investment Banking, Global Finance and Global Markets, and they represent a critical element for the success of SG CIB’s strategy in the Asia-Pacific Region and beyond.

Societe Generale, Tokyo Branch provides specialist project, export, trade, real estate, aircraft and shipping financing solutions, as well as forex hedging to Japanese clients. Our senior bankers have established close and long-term relationships with major Japanese corporations and also serve as the entry point to access SG CIB’s extensive network for their needs in Europe, the US and emerging countries.

Societe Generale Securities, Tokyo Branch serves institutional investors, investment management companies, pension funds and securities companies with cross-asset solutions backed by superb expertise in cutting-edge financial engineering. These services are supported by an in-house research team, and trading departments that make markets on fixed income and equity instruments in major currencies.

Lyxor Japan, our managed account platform, offers investors access to a range of alternative asset classes in conditions of transparency and liquidity. For financial institutions, our expertise in designing investment products, specifically tailored to meet the local institutional and retail investor requirements, makes us a valued long-term partner.

Beyond its business aspects, Societe Generale CIB is also a very dynamic and active Corporate Citizen which strives to bring its French tradition of culture and social responsibility to Japanese audiences. This is exemplified by our long-dated support of a number of artistic, sports and charitable initiatives and events along the theme of “social inclusion though education”.

In 2010 the Societe Generale Group announced its “Ambition 2015” Plan, a long-term transformation project aimed at consolidating Societe Generale’s position as THE undisputed relationship-focused bank, a reference in its markets, chosen for the quality and the commitment of its teams. SG Corporate & Investment Banking is a central pillar of this strategy which focuses - through 50 concrete action plans - on further developing the trust and respect which characterize our relations with our customers, on operational efficiency throughout our activities, and on nurturing and developing the talents of our employees and managers, for the future.

Laurent Depus
President, Societe Generale Securities, Tokyo Branch
Chief Country Officer