J.-F. P. : It’s telling ourselves - like I just mentioned - that if you're not one step ahead, you'll fall behind! François-Henri Pinault, who is an entrepreneur down to his fingertips, just like his father was, was able to fulfill and share his strategic vision, leveraging our brands to expand our company on the global stage. These brands are the heart of our unique business today. Along with our employees, they are our most important asset. Once our energy became focused on expanding and promoting our brands, the company's management style also changed. We are no longer just shareholders and strategic managers: we have become business coaches for our brand owners. We tell them, "We are entrusting you with our most precious asset. You are the custodians and it's up to you to make sure they prosper. We'll be there to support you but also to challenge you." Our philosophy is "freedom within a framework". In other words, the freedom to be entrepreneurs within a framework that is neither too narrow nor too broad. Then the key factor to success becomes the desire to succeed! ENERGY D. V. : The style of transformation you describe resonates with what in my view is the most gratifying thing about our Global Banking businesses, which is the real satisfaction that come from being involved in entrepreneurs' development, using the expertise of our teams and the strength of the bank's commitment to support PARTNERSHIP J.-F. P. : I totally agree. It's infinitely better to be an optimist who sometimes makes mistakes than to be a pessimist who's always right! Of course, you do need a control system to keep errors within reasonable limits, but the most important thing is to instil confidence, which means a desire to move forward. This is particularly true in our creative endeavours. Those who have confidence take initiative, while others focus on all the reasons they won't succeed. When I travel, I see cultural differences OPTIMISM that are quite enlightening in this respect. 20 I SOCIETE GENERALE 2013-2014 entrepreneurs in projects that may determine their future, being by their side during emergencies, when there is an immediate need, but also for the long term to help them grow and expand their activities internationally. Without a doubt, our history drives our desire to be partners in great entrepreneurial ventures. We have backed numerous family business initiatives, which often serve as models passed on from generation to generation. Kering embodies this spirit, but we can name many examples of SMEs of this nature. In fact, the desire to learn from these companies and recognise their achievements is the inspiration behind the Trophées des Chênes awards, which have an established role in France's regional economies. I also think along the same lines in terms of the role of managers in passing on the entrepreneurial spirit. I believe my primary role is to be of service to my teams and to facilitate their work by saying, "You have ideas, and I'll use all of my decision-making and delegating power to help you move forward." When an employee feels supported and empowered, their capacity for initiative is released. I'll give you an example. One day, someone from our teams came up with the suggestion of working with insurers in Asia. Today, this is one of the principal sources of revenue for our Asian equity derivatives franchise, whereas at first it just seemed a random idea. Experimenting, encouraging employees to pursue their ideas as far as they can go and putting the whole organisation to work so we could launch the product and ensure customer satisfaction - this is the right attitude. This also means being free to make mistakes. The most important thing is to instil confidence, which means a desire to move forward
ACTIVITY_REPORT_20132014_UK
To see the actual publication please follow the link above