Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank has announced the appointment of Benoit Fosseprez as Head of Americas GIB (Global Investment Banking). This new regional position is created in a move to foster greater development of its investment banking business in the Americas.
An officer of the bank for the past 13 years, Mr. Fosseprez had since September 2012 served in New York City as Managing Director, Global Head of Telecoms and Head of TMT (Telecom-Media-Tech Investment Banking) Americas. He will continue to make his office in New York.
“The promotion of Benoit to Head of Investment Banking in the Americas underscores the commitment and determined focus Crédit Agricole CIB is making to further develop our activities and participation in North and South Americas, as well as to better service our many clients in the region,” said Jean-François Deroche, CEO of Credit Agricole CIB in the Americas. “Benoit’s deep, successful experience as an investment banker in many markets in EMEA, Asia and Americas makes him well suited to lead this effort, which will involve both domestic and cross-border capabilities.”
Among his responsibilities, Mr. Fosseprez will supervise ECM (Equity Capital Markets), M&A, SET (Strategic Equity Transactions) and SFS (Structured Financial Solutions). Christina Livas, Head of GIB for Brazil, will also report to him. Mr. Fosseprez will report locally to New York City-based Stephane Publie, Head of CIN and GIB for the Americas, and globally to Helene Combe-Guillemet, Head of GIB in Paris.
Mr. Fosseprez since joining Crédit Agricole has served in Paris as M&A banker, TMT Investment Banking Director and, later, TMT Managing Director and Global Head of Telecom. He has been in New York City in his most recent assignment since September 2012. Prior to joining Crédit Agricole, and following service as a French naval officer, he was an auditor with Price Waterhouse Coopers in Paris. Mr. Fosseprez holds a Master’s Degree with a Major in Corporate Finance from the EDHEC Business School. He also attended the International University of Business and Economics in Beijing, China.
Head of M&A
Simultaneously, Crédit Agricole CIB also reported the appointment of John Hartke, who joined Crédit Agricole in April 2012, as Head of M&A for the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“We are pleased to welcome John to his new position,” said Mr. Deroche. “Since he joined us in April of last year from BofA Merrill Lynch, he brought us his broad M&A banking experience and contributed to our first successes in the Region in 2013. He will now supervise the origination and execution of M&A transactions, in addition to continuing to develop business in all three countries.”
Mr. Hartke was for 10 years an M&A investment banker with Merrill Lynch in New York City. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.