THE WAR IN UKRAINE, A COUNTRY IN WHICH BNP PARIBAS IS PRESENT WITH 5,000 EMPLOYEES, HAS BEEN RAGING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS*. WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF THIS CONFLICT?
The attack on Ukraine is a major crisis that the world is facing and, as we speak, we are seeing serious humanitarian, economic and geopolitical consequences. Above all, I would like to salute the courage of our colleagues who are suffering the full brunt of the conflict and its repercussions, and first and foremost our teams at UKRSIBBANK, who are fully mobilised to ensure, to the extent possible, the continuity of banking activity which is vital to the functioning of the country’s economy. Since the first hours of the conflict our priority has been to guarantee their safety and that of their loved ones; I would also like to thank our employees who live and work at the frontiers of the conflict in Poland, Hungary and Romania, and those who, throughout the world, have come to their aid and show solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
This tragedy affects the whole of Europe, which has been unanimous in expressing its unwavering support for Ukraine. We have naturally responded to the European appeal for solidarity by supporting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and several partner organisations, and by activating the BNP Paribas Rescue & Recover Fund, for which we match all the donations made by our employees and customers. We will continue to do everything in our power to help our employees, their families and loved ones, and to maintain the continuity of essential banking services to support the people of Ukraine.
LET’S COME TO YOUR VIEW AND THE CONCLUSIONS YOU HAVE DRAWN ON 2021…
Despite the persistence of the pandemic, 2021 was marked by a clear economic recovery. Most companies have returned to growth, and the trend has also been positive for individuals. The good health of the economy, the rebound in activity and the confidence of our customers are reflected in our results, which are higher than those of 2020, and especially those of 2019 before the health crisis. We have been able to guide our customers in their development after supporting them through the difficult times of 2020. In this context, in which our usefulness at the service of the economy and society was fully expressed, we gained market share in several business lines and regions.
Thanks to the exceptional mobilisation of our teams around the world and the trust shown by our customers, the Group posted a very solid performance in 2021: our revenues stood at more than €46bn, with an increase of 4.4% compared to 2020 and 3.7% compared to 2019. Our net income, Group share amounted to €9.5bn, up by more than 34% compared to 2020 and by more than 16% compared to 2019, enabling us to reach a return on equity of 10% and further reinforce our financial strength with a CET1 ratio of 12.9%.
Overall, our 2021 results are in line with the ambition of our 2017‑2020 plan and all our financial objectives were achieved. This is a source of satisfaction and an advantage for us, after the brutal shock of the pandemic for families, businesses and economies. It is also a strength and a guarantee of resilience in a geopolitical, environmental, social and economic context that is still fraught with uncertainty.
OUR COMMERCIAL PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS CONFIRM THE FORCE AND DISTINCTIVENESS OF OUR DIVERSIFIED AND INTEGRATED MODEL.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THESE STRONG RESULTS FROM BNP PARIBAS?
Our commercial performance and results confirm the force and distinctiveness of our diversified and integrated model: our three operating divisions have each drawn on their strengths and expertise to continue to grow. These results reflect excellent cohesion and cross‑functionality that continue to build across all BNP Paribas business lines.
They also demonstrate the relevance of our long‑term strategy and the approach taken as part of our 2017‑2020 plan in terms of transformation.