AIAC CO-HOSTS THE GOVERNOR OF THE BANQUE DE FRANCE IN NEW YORK
François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Banque de France and Member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY – April 16, 2024 AIAC hosted its colleagues, clients, and friends at a breakfast and presentation on April 16 by François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Banque de France and Council Member of the European Central Bank. The event, sponsored by Paris Europlace, Business France, and Choose Paris Region, took place at the Harvard Club of New York and attracted leaders from global commercial banks, rating agencies, businesses, and government. The presentation included a review of the state of the economy in France and the European Union, monetary policy, new trends in finance in France, and the benefits of investing in France.
In his address, Governor de Galhau noted that the European Central Bank would “follow the data, not simply follow the Fed,” reflecting a disciplined, economic data-driven approach to monetary policy. He reviewed the ECB’s successful response to recent inflationary pressures, and the need to now consider implementing a program of rate cuts to sustain economic growth and employment.
Following his remarks the following senior officials gave presentations about the French Republic’s economic and business climate and infrastructure. These officials included the following:
Jean-Charles Simon, CEO, Paris Europlace
Geoffroy Goffinet, Director of Authorization, ACPR
Alexis Dupont, Managing Director, France Invest
Frederic Rossi, CEO, Business France North America
Cecile Jupin, Investment Projects Manager, Choose Paris Region
Click here for the full presentation.
AIAC’s prominent guests in attendance included the following:
John Dugan, Chairman of Citicorp; Formerly: Partner and Chair, Financial Institutions Group, Covington & Burling LLP; Comptroller of the Currency; Assistant Secretary for Domestic Finance and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury Minority General Counsel and Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Douglas Peterson, Chairman of Standard & Poors; Formerly: Chief Operating Officer of Citibank; Former CEO of Citigroup Japan; Chief Auditor of Citigroup.
Heath Tarbet, Chief Legal Officer and Head of Corporate Affairs for Circle Internet Financial; Formerly: Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); Undersecretary of Treasury for International Affairs; Special Counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Partner, Weil Gotshal and Manges; Partner, Allen & Overy; Associate Counsel to the President of the United States; Law Clerk for Justices Douglas H. Ginsberg and Clarence Thomas, Associate, Sullivan & Cromwell
Abe Wellington, Chairman and CEO, The Opal Group
Brian Shiau, Vice President, Global Strategy, Paper Excellence
Hang Kei Simon Wong, Head of Global Operational Support, GXO Logistics, Inc.
Other distinguished guests in attendance included:
Tony Pasquariello, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs
Cedric Lucas, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Raj Mahajan, Partner, Global Head of Systematic Client Franchise, Goldman Sachs
Leon Levy, Vice President, Office of the Chairman, Goldman Sachs
Heather Kennedy Miner, Chief Operating Officer, Advent International, LP, Former Chief Operating Officer, Goldman Sachs
Emmanuel Lagarrigue, Partner, KKR
Jean-Yves Fillion, Vice Chairman, BNP Paribas USA
Pierre Lappomme, CEO, BNP Paribas Asset Management
Yelena Shulyatyeva, Senior US Economist, BNP Paribas
Carol Yang, Managing Director, JPMorgan
Ronald M. Palladino, Executive Director, JPMorgan
Greg-Henri Bize, Managing Director, Evercore
Herman Bolten, Head of the Multinational Corporate Group, Société General
Jayee Koffey, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, BNY Mellon
Makoto Kasai, General Manager for the Americas, Bank of Japan
Roy Kabla, Head of Media and Entertainment Investment Banking, Barclays
Brett Sheely, Head of ETF Investment, Alliance Bernstein
Brendon McKenna, Vice President and International Economist, Wells Fargo
Hok Yin (Anson) Law, Chief Manager – Market Outreach, Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Luc Chatignoux, Investment Banking Associate, Rothschild & Co., Inc.
Jean-Chiristophe de Swaan, Lecturer on Ethics in Finance, Princeton University and Cambridge University
In his presentation, Frederic Rossi, CEO, of Business France North America, pointed out AIAC’s long history of investment in France. He asked AIAC Chairman Levie to comment about the health of the aerospace industry in France. Mr. Levie responded, “France’s aerospace sector is exceptionally strong and growing and we are proud to be part of that growth.”
Following the breakfast and presentation, Mr. Levie escorted the French delegation of officials to the Great Hall of the Harvard Club, where the portrait of President Theodore Roosevelt, tapestries from the seventeenth century, and a large mounted elephant are on permanent display.
AIAC Chairman Levie noted, “We were delighted to assist Paris Europlace, Business France, and Choose Paris Region in organizing this special event and in introducing the Honorable Francois Villeroy de Galhau to our dear friends and colleagues in New York. It is an ideal opportunity to showcase the business-friendly reforms of the Macron Administration as well as the sophisticated financial infrastructure and dynamism of the Paris region. In the post-Brexit era, financial institutions and corporations in all industries are rapidly discovering the extraordinary benefits of Paris as the financial center for Europe.”
At noon, the Economic Club of New York (ECNY) then held a reception and lunch in honor of Governor de Galhau at the University Club of New York, 10 blocks north of the Harvard Club. Governor de Galhau delivered an address and was then interviewed by John C. Williams, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Chairman of the ECNY. In his address, he reiterated his earlier message the European Central Bank would “follow the data, not simply follow the Fed.” He noted the ECB’s successful application of monetary policy in curbing inflation in the EU.
Following the address and interview, Governor de Galhau and John C. Williams joined the ECNY Centennial Society luncheon table which included Barbara Van Allen, President and CEO of the ECNY, Edward Cox, Chairman of the New York State Republican Committee and Secretary of the ECNY, Mr. Levie of AIAC, Maria Boyazny, Founder and CEO of MB Global, and Anna Nikolayevsky, Founder and CEO of Axel Capital.
Cecile Jupin, Investment Projects Manager for Choose Paris Region, emailed all attendees of the Choose France event the following message of thanks: “On behalf of Choose Paris Region, Business France, Paris Europlace, ACPR, France Invest, and the Embassy of France in the United States, we extend our sincere gratitude for your attendance at yesterday's exclusive event, "Finance in France - Talk & Networking Breakfast," featuring François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Banque de France and ECB Council Member. Special thanks are due to Leonard L. Levie, Chairman of AIAC, for enabling us to host this prestigious gathering at the Harvard Club of New York.”
About AIAC
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) is a diversified industrial group with manufacturing and distribution sites in 24 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. AIAC has acquired and grown non-core subsidiaries and divisions of Boeing, Siemens, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Johnson Controls, Merck, Pfizer, Astellas, Visteon, Carlyle, Ahlstrom, Tolko, Groupe Suez, Groupe Rexel, and many other leading multinational corporations.
AIAC companies serve companies and governmental entities worldwide in all major sectors, including aviation, space, defense, automotive, truck, rail, marine, petrochemical, solar, nuclear, food, confectionary, beverage, civil engineering and infrastructure, commercial construction, mining, dredging, disaster relief, education, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. AIAC companies manufacture materials, components, assemblies, packaging, equipment, and finished products. In addition, AIAC companies are exclusive, authorized distributors of leading branded industrial and consumer products throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. AIAC also is a distributor of electrical products throughout France.
Of note, AIAC purchased Boeing Canada in 2005, and has produced over 10,000 unique components for every Boeing jet plane ever since, reliably serving Boeing from manufacturing facilities in North America. A leader in ultra-high precision jet engine component manufacturing, AIAC companies produce 2,200 fan blades and blisks for each jet engine produced by GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell. AIAC companies produce the critical automotive wire and cable for Tesla, GM, Ford, Chrysler- Fiat, Toyota, and Nissan. In connection with its kraft paper manufacturing interests, AIAC controls and sustainably manages 22 million acres of Manitoba, Canada forestland, an area equivalent in size to the nation of Hungary.
AIAC companies actively support exploration into outer space, manufacturing critical components for launching and propelling spacecraft and satellites. AIAC customers in this sector include NASA, the European Space Agency, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Boeing. AIAC companies also lead in the design and manufacture of undersea umbilical cables for world-wide oceanographic research.
https://www.aiac.com/our-values
About AIAC in France
AIAC made its first investment in France over two decades ago and has since expanded to 42 manufacturing and distribution sites throughout the country. AIAC’s companies in France serve every major and mid-sized manufacturing, distribution and retail company and every consumer. The products which it manufactures include precision titanium and stainless steel tubing, logistics pallets, injection molded components, and aluminum foil. AIAC companies in France address a wide range of markets, including, automotive, truck, rail, aviation, space, defense, power generation, chemical processing, and food and beverage. AIAC also distributes the leading brand of electrical components and systems through a network of 2,000 retailers throughout France.
About Paris Europlace
Paris Europlace is the organization in charge of promoting and developing the Paris financial marketplace. As a privileged intermediary of the European and French authorities, with which it maintains an ongoing and constructive dialogue, Paris Europlace initiates proposals for the collective benefits of the financial center.
About Choose Paris Region
A business growth and destination agency for Paris Region, Choose Paris Region promotes the Region across the world, attracts and supports companies and international talents. It contributes to the Region’s transformation and builds a positive footprint.
About Business France
Business France is responsible for fostering export growth by French businesses, facilitating international investment in France. It promotes France’s companies, business image and nationwide attractiveness as an investment location.
Media Contact:
Isabel Carro Toro, Vice President
American Industrial Acquisition Corporation
+34 689 295 827 (Spain)
+ 1 787 244 3175 (USA)
icarro-toro@aiac.com
www.aiac.com
