Orange to open bank in France, CEO tells Le Figaro
PARIS (Reuters) - French telecoms group Orange will open a bank in France at the beginning of next year with a partner from the banking sector, its chief executive said in an interview with Le Figaro on Friday.
"Orange has the legitimacy to become a bank: it's got a strong brand, 1,000 selling points and 27 million clients," CEO Stephane Richard told the French daily.
The former French telecoms monopoly has hired Laurent Paillassot, former general manager of LCL bank, to oversee the project, he added. He did not say who the partner from the banking sector might be.
The group already has a bank in Poland with 100,000 customers, Richard was quoted as saying.
(Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Pravin Char)
