
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé is the CEO of BNP Paribas, one of the largest banks in Europe. He has been in this role since 2011.
As a seasoned banker, Bonnafé has held various positions within the company, including Head of Corporate and Investment Banking.
BNP Paribas CEO Overview
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé has been the CEO of BNP Paribas since 2011.
He took over as CEO during a challenging time for the bank, but has since led it to significant growth and stability.
Bonnafé has been instrumental in transforming BNP Paribas into a leading global bank, with a strong presence in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Interview with BNP Paribas CEO
In an interview, BNP Paribas CEO Jean-Laurent Bonnafé emphasized the importance of a sustainable economy. He believes that banks need to support the transition to a more sustainable economy.
Bonnafé also highlighted the need for bankers to have a broad range of skills, including maths and history. This is because banking is not just about technical skills, but also about understanding human nature and behavior.

BNP Paribas' CEO is relatively satisfied with the bank's business model, citing its ability to attract talent, diversify, and stay disciplined. The bank is also exploring ways to reduce costs by sharing platforms for activities such as payments.
The bank's net income in 2018 was around €8 billion after exceptional items, but its market capitalization is closer to €57 billion. Bonnafé attributes this to a lack of comfort with European risk, which is largely due to the underdevelopment of Europe's capital markets.
Under Bonnafé's leadership, BNP Paribas has increased its capital and liquidity buffers, and spent more on anti-money laundering compliance, foreign sanctions, and cybersecurity. The bank's equity base has more than doubled, while its liquidity buffer has increased from about €60 billion to about €300 billion.
Here is a brief overview of BNP Paribas' leadership team:
The bank's leadership team has an average tenure of 3.7 years, indicating that they are experienced and committed to their roles.
Formation et Débuts

Jean-Laurent Bonnafé's early career is a testament to his dedication to his craft. He entered the École polytechnique in 1981.
As the son of an EDF engineer and a jurist, Bonnafé's background likely instilled in him a strong foundation in science and law. He graduated from the École polytechnique and went on to pursue his engineering degree at the École des mines de Paris.
After completing his 3-year program at the École des mines de Paris, Bonnafé was appointed as the adjoint du directeur of the direction régionale de l'industrie (DRIR) of Languedoc-Roussillon in 1987.
Career and Tenure
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé's career is marked by various leadership roles. He serves as the Chief Executive Officer at BNP Paribas España S.A.
Mr. Bonnafé has also held positions in Canada and India, serving as Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas (Canada) and BNP Paribas India Holding Private Limited.
Carrière En Banque
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé joined BNP in 1993, starting as a sous-directeur of large companies. He later became responsible for strategy and development in 1997. After the merger with Paribas in 2000, he led the integration process of the two banks.

In 2002, Bonnafé entered the executive committee of BNP Paribas and took over as head of retail banking in France. Following the acquisition of BNL in 2006, he was appointed deputy administrator and oversaw its integration into the BNP Paribas group.
Bonnafé's career milestones include becoming CEO of Fortis Bank in 2009, where he led its integration and turnaround under the BNP Paribas Fortis brand. He was elected to the BNP Paribas board of directors in 2010.
Here's a summary of Bonnafé's key roles:
- 1993: Joined BNP as sous-directeur of large companies
- 1997: Became responsible for strategy and development
- 2002: Entered executive committee of BNP Paribas, head of retail banking in France
- 2006: Deputy administrator of BNL after its acquisition
- 2009: CEO of Fortis Bank
- 2010: Elected to BNP Paribas board of directors
Tenure
Jean-Laurent Bonnafe has served as the Chief Executive Officer at BNP Paribas España S.A. He has also held the same position at BNP Paribas (Canada) and BNP Paribas India Holding Private Limited.
Mr. Bonnafe's tenure at these companies demonstrates his ability to lead and manage multiple international branches. His experience in these roles has likely prepared him for the demands of his current position at BNP Paribas España S.A.
BNP Paribas Performance
BNP Paribas' net income in 2018 was around €8 billion after exceptional items.
The bank's market capitalization should be between €80 billion and €100 billion, but it's actually closer to €57 billion.
Bonnafé attributes the discrepancy to a lack of comfort with European risk in general, thanks to the underdevelopment of Europe's own capital markets.
BNP Paribas has more than doubled its equity base since the 2008 crisis.
The bank's liquidity buffer has increased from about €60 billion to about €300 billion.
Annual compliance spending has risen from about €7 million to around €200 million.
Cybersecurity costs have also increased, with the bank now spending about €400 million a year on it.
Active Positions
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé is a highly accomplished individual with a range of active positions. He is the Chief Executive Officer of BNP PARIBAS, a position he has held since 2011.
As of 2022, Bonnafé is also a Director/Board Member at Pierre Fabre Participations SAS, a holding company with interests in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products.
He has been a Director/Board Member at Pierre Fabre SA since 2019, a position that involves overseeing the company's research, development, and production of health and beauty products.
Bonnafé's other notable positions include Chairman at L'Association pour le Rayonnement de l'Opéra de Paris and Director/Board Member at Bank Policy Institute.
Here is a summary of Bonnafé's active positions:
Compensation and Engagement
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé's compensation is a topic of interest. His total compensation of $4.50M is below average for companies of similar size in the US market, which is $12.90M.
One notable aspect of his compensation is its consistency with company performance. Over the past year, his compensation has been in line with the company's earnings. This suggests a fair and transparent approach to executive compensation.
In terms of engagement, Jean-Laurent Bonnafé is a strong advocate for causes such as gender equality. He has been a "thematic champion" for HeForShe since 2018 and has signed several charters, including the LGBT charter of the Autre Cercle in 2015.
Here are some key statistics related to his engagement efforts:
By taking a stand on these issues, Jean-Laurent Bonnafé is helping to break down barriers and promote a more inclusive work environment.
CEO Compensation Analysis

Jean-Laurent Bonnafe's compensation is a topic of interest, especially when compared to the company's earnings. His total compensation of $4.50M is below average for companies of similar size in the US market, which averages around $12.90M.
BNP Paribas's earnings have been steady over the past year, with a net income of €10 billion in 2024. This stability is reflected in Bonnafe's compensation, which has been consistent with company performance.
The bank's net income has fluctuated over the years, ranging from €6 billion in 2020 to €9 billion in 2022. Bonnafe's compensation has also varied, with a high of €5 million in 2022 and a low of €3 million in 2018.
Here's a breakdown of Bonnafe's compensation and the company's earnings over the past few years:
Despite the fluctuations, Bonnafe's compensation remains below average, and the company's earnings have been steady.
Engagement
Jean-Laurent Bonnafé has been actively involved in causes, becoming a "thematic champion" of HeForShe in 2018, a UN program for gender equality.

He signed the LGBT charter of L'Autre Cercle in 2015, making BNP Paribas the first French bank to do so.
As a result, BNP Paribas has been a personal mentor to social start-up laureates of La France s'engage.
In 2019, Jean-Laurent Bonnafé signed a statement with 50 CEOs and government officials to promote gender equality.
The statement aimed to break the glass ceiling by ensuring that women are represented in leadership positions.
BNP Paribas committed to publishing the percentage of women in management positions and to ensuring that a woman is always in the final round of the recruitment process for each leadership position.
The bank also set a goal to increase the proportion of women in two historically male-dominated fields: Global Market and HR.
The goal is to have more than 40% of women in the "Graduate & Talents" programs.
Sources
- https://integrated-report.bnpparibas/2020/doc/article/12/
- https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/JEAN-LAURENT-BONNAFE-A0D6QR/
- https://simplywall.st/stocks/us/banks/otc-bnpq.f/bnp-paribas/management
- https://www.euromoney.com/article/b1fqnsj0g8pc6s/the-ceo-agenda-jean-laurent-bonnafe-bnp-paribas
- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Laurent_Bonnaf%C3%A9
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