OREANDA-NEWS. October 10, 2011. BNP Paribas is pleased to announce the appointment of Laurent Couraudon as its new Country Head for China. Laurent will be based in Beijing* and he will replace Francois Cristofari who retires, reported the press-centre of BNP Paribas.

Reporting to Eric Raynaud, Chief Executive Officer for Asia Pacific, Laurent Couraudon will further solidify the Bank's foothold in a market that is growing in significance in the Group's development strategy by deepening the client franchise and coordinating the Group's activities in China.

Commenting on this appointment, Eric Raynaud said: “As a seasoned banker, Laurent brings with him a strong track record of success. He has greatly contributed to the growth of our business in Russia during the six years of his tenure and I am confident that his expertise, managerial skills and valuable experience will enable us to significantly expand our operations in China.”

Laurent's most recent position was Country Head for Russia. In that capacity he has led and built the Bank's Corporate and Investment Banking business in Russia while strengthening the capabilities of the Retail Banking and Investment Solutions activities.

After a short stint as an officer in the French Army, Laurent joined the Group in 1993, working in Geneva. He was posted in Moscow in 1997 as a representative for the Energy & Commodity Finance business and was promoted to his last position in the end of 2004.

* Clarence T'ao, based in Shanghai, remains Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas (China) Ltd.