Societe Generale obtains Australian banking authorisation and appoints Group Country Head in Australia

Societe Generale announced today that the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has authorised Societe Generale as a foreign authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI) in line with its ambition to expand the existing client base and extend the reach of its financing and advisory activities in the Asia Pacific region.

This authorisation enables Societe Generale to grow its Global Finance and Coverage & Investment Banking activities on the ground and expand its activities to additional opportunities by leveraging the strength of its coverage and its leadership in structured finance, including recognised expertise in energy, metals & mining and infrastructure financing, together with enhanced product and service offerings such as bond issuance, securitisation / asset backed products and real estate finance.

Societe Generale will operate in Australia as a foreign bank branch ADI through Societe Generale Sydney Branch.

To drive the growth initiative in Asia Pacific, Pascal Sefrin has been appointed Group Country Head for Australia and Branch Manager of the Societe Generale Sydney Branch. Reporting to Societe Generale’s Chief Executive Officer for Asia Pacific Hikaru Ogata, Pascal will be instrumental in developing Societe Generale’s franchise in Australia by leveraging existing financing & advisory activities and global markets solutions, bringing added value to its Australian and global clients.

Hikaru Ogata, Societe Generale’s Chief Executive Officer for Asia Pacific, said, “We are very pleased to become a foreign authorised deposit-taking institution in Australia. It better positions Societe Generale, not only in terms of supporting our Australian wholesale clients in their financing and advisory needs, but also by better serving our global clients who wish to access the Australian market with global banking services. This is truly an important milestone for Societe Generale’s development in Asia Pacific and is in line with the growing infrastructure needs in the region and the globalisation of our clients.”

Societe Generale has been present and active in Australia since 1981, providing financial advisory solutions, especially in the natural resources and infrastructure sectors, as well as global markets solutions. Some recent landmark transactions undertaken from Societe Generale's Asia Pacific regional hub included renewable projects Bulgana Green Power Hub and Beryl Solar Farm, as well as Sydney Airport’s €500 million bond issuance.

Biography:
Prior to taking up his current role as Group Country Head for Australia and Branch Manager at Societe Generale Sydney Branch, Pascal Sefrin was Head of Corporate Clients Coverage for Asia Pacific since 2011, Head of Corporate & Investment Banking of Societe Generale China between 2005 and 2011, and Chief Country Officer in Taiwan between 2000 and 2005.

Previously, Pascal served in Societe Generale’s equities division in Paris, working on equity and equity-related origination for the French mid-cap sector. From 1995 to 1999, Pascal was Deputy Country Manager for China, based in Hong Kong, in charge of the supervision and development of Societe Generale’s activities there. He had also worked as a relationship manager in the Bank’s Paris office. Pascal Sefrin joined the banking Group in 1986.

Pascal holds an MBA degree from Pace University in New York and a Master’s degree from Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Lyon (EM LYON).

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