Valérie Baudson, CEO of Amundi, was interviewed by the German newspaper Der Spiegel. She discussed a wide range of subjects, including the current situation of the financial markets and the role of Europe.
Amundi's growth strategies
She talks about Amundi's growth strategy, which includes both organic growth and potential acquisitions.
If we see an opportunity to make acquisitions strengthening our expertise, services or geographical presence, we will do so but by respecting very strict financial criteria.
European autonomy
She sees the need to invest in Europe to ensure economic autonomy, especially in times of geopolitical tension. She argues that financial autonomy is just as important as that in other areas such as armaments and energy.
The EU has tremendous potential, notably thanks to its enormous savings pool. Developing into this fantastic pool of savings and investing smartly in European companies and jobs is also part of my responsibility.
Optimism
She calls for a more optimistic view of the EU and highlights Europe's strengths, particularly in exports. She believes that economic pragmatism in the US will ultimately prevail over protectionist measures.
Capital utilisation in Europe
She challenges the fact that Europeans invest only a small portion of their savings in equities and argues for a ‘Europe First’ strategy to better utilise private capital for the European economy. She proposes creating a European fund label to ensure that savers' money is invested in Europe.
Regulation and efficiency
She emphasises that the issue is not more or less regulation, but efficiency. She supports the simplification of CSRD reporting requirements for companies to reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
Climate protection and sustainable investments
She reaffirms Amundi's commitment to climate protection and the commitment to become climate neutral by 2050. She views the transformation towards a sustainable economy as existential and emphasises the need for investment in this area.
We are on the way to Net Zero by 2050, and we are seeing that more and more companies which we serve or in which we invest also want to achieve this goal.
Market confidence in France
Despite the challenges in France, she views investor confidence in French government bonds as a positive sign. She calls for more spending discipline in France and higher investment in Germany.
Responsibility and diversity
Valérie Baudson emphasises the responsibility that comes with managing €2.2 trillion in client funds. She highlights that diversity in corporate governance (40% women on the management board, 50% on the supervisory board) is positive for performance.
Overall, Valérie Baudson presents an optimistic view of Europe's future and emphasises the need to leverage the continent's strengths to succeed in a changing global landscape.