8,000 affected customers, 700 farmers and 400 professionals affected by the climatic phenomena of 2023: the toll is heavy for Crédit Agricole Nord de France, whose mutualist DNA has taken on its full meaning. “For the floods, €41 million in compensation was paid out of a total of €149 million. We have also opened a donation fund of €500,000 to support difficult situations.» explains Laurent Martin, general manager. In a normal year, the Regional Fund pays around €100 million in compensation but
“for three years, we have been rather above €100 million» he specifies.
Half-hearted for the credits
With credit achievements half as important in just one year, 2023 will remain bad for housing financing,weighed down by a massive rise in interest rates. €3.1 billion in credits were made in 2023: €1.3 billion for housing, €1 billion for businesses, €450 million for agriculture and €350 million for consumption and others. “It’s been a mixed year, but I can shake the idea that the banks don’t want to lend. Even if we do not note a recovery in the market, there is an easing in rates» reassures Laurent Martin.
Collections, for their part, are up 5.5%, to €37.6 billion and 33,000 new members have joined the Regional Bank, out of a total of 500,000 customers. Despite everything, the economic context and the increase in costs linked to inflation and the energy crisis weighed on the results of Crédit Agricole Nord de France: a NBI down 8.5% (to €641 million) and a consolidated net profit at €137 million (-19.5%). “The year has been turbulent but the Fund remains solid, with 5 billion in equity, three times more than what is required at the regulatory level“.
Two major real estate projects
Crédit Agricole Nord de France also plans to change size, with the rehabilitation of 11,600 m2 on its Lille site, Square Foch, and the construction of a new 7,000 m headquarters2 in Arras. The two future sites, delivered in 2028, will accommodate 1,000 employees for a colossal investment of €110 million.
The group has acquired the former Tisserin building, on the corner of Square Foch and rue de Tenremonde, in Lille, which will be completely rehabilitated from 2025 with a target of 70% energy savings. The 360 employees of Arras – currently spread across 14 sites – will all be brought together on a single site, at Ilôt Bergaigne. The business center, private bank and agency will remain on the Grand’Place.
Objectives: conquest and development
For Crédit Agricole Nord de France, 2024 is the start of “Together” business projectwhich will last until 2028. “We want to gain market share while remaining a universal bank. The objective is to win 40,000 new customers per year» ambitions Laurent Martin.
It is also with its subsidiaries that the Regional Bank places its development desires with nearly €100 million invested with Nord Capital Investissement (120 companies supported over 50 years and more than €80 million invested in 2023), Foncière of Maple (90,000 m2managed, objective 135,000 m2in 2028), Ex’Im, leader in France in the provision of energy diagnostic services, Square Habitat, which, despite a market slowed by 35%, achieved a turnover of €37 million with 82 agencies and finally, the Golf de Mormal for which €2 million was allocated for the redesign of the restaurant and the renovation of the buildings.
