The Internationalization of Retail Banking: The Case of French Banks

Abstract

This paper addresses the internationalization of retail banking based upon a study of three French banks between 2000 and 2010. It gives useful guidance for retail banking expansion abroad and confirms the necessity of benefiting from the competitive advantage of an effective domestic bank-ing network; targeting opportunities in emerging under-banked countries or under-productive banks in cross-border transactions; integrating new acquisitions, and developing a strong head-office risk control system. Finally, it stresses the causes of certain disappointing outcomes and how to avoid them in future foreign retail banking development.