BNP Paribas strengthens and diversifies its US M&A Platform

BNP Paribas' corporate and institutional bank launches new Mergers & Acquisitions service for Bank of the West Commercial Banking Clients primarily

NEW YORK, Nov. 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BNP Paribas announces a new joint initiative between its Corporate and Institutional Banking (CIB) and Bank of the West Commercial Banking Group (CBG) to offer Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) services to Bank of the West commercial clients.

This new initiative will provide tailored M&A advice and solutions for all clients including those from key sectors where Bank of the West has strong industry expertise such as technology, industrials, healthcare, beverage, food and agribusiness.

"This BNP Paribas cross-organizational platform will provide Bank of the West's clients with access to the full spectrum of M&A solutions both in the US and globally, and will ensure that all product capabilities of the BNP Paribas Group will be offered. This clearly illustrates the strength of our integrated and diversified business model as it will allow the bank not only to deepen its client relationships, but also to continue BNP Paribas' solid and sustainable growth in the United States," said Lincoln Payton, CIB's Head of Advisory Americas.

To lead this effort, Roger Spitz has been appointed Head of this M&A Advisory practice. In this role, Spitz will be responsible for driving the joint initiative with Bank of the West and for coordinating with BNP Paribas Americas and the global M&A franchise. Spitz will maintain his role as Technology/Media/Telecom M&A sector representative for BNP Paribas Americas and given the importance of Bank of the West's technology-related services and deep relationships in Silicon Valley, he will be critical to the success of this platform. Spitz was most recently Head of Technology and Aerospace & Defense, Europe Middle East Africa at BNP Paribas in London. Spitz is now based in San Francisco and reports to Emre Gunalp, Head of North America M&A Advisory, who is based in New York.

"While we continue to expand our commercial banking geographic reach across the United States, our deep industry expertise now coupled with CIB's M&A Advisory solutions, will provide clients with unparalleled access to specialized and international solutions," said Jean-Marc Torre, Head of Commercial Banking Group, Bank of the West.

Additionally on September 5th, this new practice closed its first deal and acted as exclusive sell-side M&A advisor to HAVI Group in relation to the divestment of its non-core Recycling & Waste Solutions division. This deal is a milestone for North America as it is the first M&A transaction with a Bank of the West client since the start of this new joint initiative.

About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 74 countries, with more than 192,000 employees, including more than 146,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the European leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail-banking model in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.

About Bank of the West's Commercial Banking Group 
Bank of the West's Commercial Banking Group (CBG) meets the rapidly changing needs of growing middle-market businesses and large corporate segments. CBG helps businesses achieve their unique visions by delivering smart and comprehensive solutions that fuel sustainable growth. With specialized sector expertise, CBG anticipates and tackles the challenges businesses face in industries including agriculture, healthcare, commercial real estate, religious institutions, and technology. CBG offers clients the best of both worlds: the personalized relationships and community ties of a local bank backed by the international capabilities of BNP Paribas, one of the world's strongest financial groups.

About Bank of the West
Bank of the West is a financial services company headquartered in San Francisco with $89.8 billion in assets as of September 30, 2017. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West provides a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services through more than 600 branches and offices in 23 states and digital channels. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, a leading bank in Europe, which has a presence in 74 countries with more than 192,000 employees. To learn more about Bank of the West, visit About Us via BankoftheWest.com.

Press Contacts
Mylene Benmoussa
mylene.benmoussa@us.bnpparibas.com
+1 212 841 3719

Anita Fox
media.relations@bankofthewest.com
+1 415-432-3696

Sarah Worsley
sarah.worlsey@bnpparibas.com
+33 1 40 14 65 14

BNP Paribas Americas on Twitter - @BNPPAmericas