Latest France Headlines

All the headlines from our France Topic Page, ordered by recency.

People Moves: Howden Appoints Former WTW Executive Aubert as CEO of France

Feb 7 2022 // Howden, the London-based insurance broker, announced the appointment of industry veteran Nicolas Aubert as CEO, France. After holding roles in various countries, notably in the UK market where he held major positions at...

Shares in French Care Homes Company Korian Drop as It Faces Group Lawsuit

Feb 7 2022 // Shares in French care homes company Korian slid lower on Monday after a Paris lawyer said she was preparing a group lawsuit against the company.Lawyer Sarah Saldmann told FranceInfo radio over the weekend that she had...

France Data Privacy Watchdog Slaps €150M Fine on Google for Misusing ‘Cookies’

Jan 6 2022 // PARIS – France’s data privacy watchdog CNIL said on Thursday it had fined Alphabet’s Google a record 150 million euros ($169 million) for making it difficult for internet users to refuse online trackers known...

French Court Allows Class Action Against Sanofi Over Its Epilepsy Drug Depakine

Jan 5 2022 // A French court ruled that families of children who suffered side effects from the epilepsy medicine Depakine can join in a class-action lawsuit against drugmaker Sanofi.The company should have warned of the risk of birth...

French Mining Group Eramet Identifies Potential $50.8M Financial Fraud

Dec 21 2021 // PARIS – Eramet has identified a potential 45 million euro ($50.8 million) financial fraud within its group treasury operations, the French mining company said on Tuesday.“Eramet will file a criminal complaint with...

EXOR, Again, Agrees to Sell PartnerRe to France’s Covéa for $9 Billion (€7.8 Billion)

Dec 17 2021 // French mutual insurer Covéa and EXOR, a holding company controlled by the Agnelli family, have officially agreed to a delayed deal in which Covéa will acquire the global reinsurer PartnerRe for cash consideration of...

La Banque Postale Plans to Buy French Insurer CNP

Oct 28 2021 // PARIS — The banking arm of French mail operator La Poste is planning to buy banking group BPCE’s stake in French insurer CNP, the companies said on Thursday, and then plans to make an offer to buy the rest of the...

France’s AXA to Invest €1.5B to Fight Deforestation, Preserve Biodiversity

Oct 15 2021 // French insurer AXA said on Thursday it will invest 1.5 billion euros ($1.74 billion) to support sustainable forest management as part of new commitments to fight deforestation and preserve biodiversity.The announcement...

UK Insurer Aviva Completes Sale of French Business to Aéma for £2.8­ Billion

Oct 1 2021 // UK insurer Aviva plc announced the completion of the sale of its French business to Aéma Groupe for £2.8­ billion ($3.8 billion) in cash.The transaction was first announced on Feb. 23, 2021. Related:Allianz Completes...

Firefighters Struggle to Control Blazes Fueled by Heatwaves in France and Spain

Aug 17 2021 // Firefighters are struggling to control blazes in France’s Gulf of Saint Tropez and in the Spanish province of Avila, another manifestation of dangerous global warming that’s already caused a long list of...

People Moves: Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Hires AIG’s Blattner-Hoyle to Lead Trade Finance; QBE Names AXA XL’s France as Head of Property, Europe

Aug 10 2021 // This edition of International People Moves covers appointments at two insurers: Swiss Re Corporate Solutions and QBE European Operations.A summary of these new hires follows here. Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Names...

France’s AXA Posts 180% Surge in 1st Half Net Income as XL Unit Swings to Profit

Aug 2 2021 // AXA posted a 180% surge in first-half net income on Monday as the French insurer rebounded from a spike in pandemic-related claims that led to a 1.5 billion euro ($1.8 billion) charge last year.Europe’s...

French Court Refuses to Dismiss Fire Charges Against Buffett-Owned Lubrizol

Jun 30 2021 // A French appeal court on Wednesday rejected a request by chemicals group Lubrizol to have judicial charges over a fire at a plant in Rouen quashed because of alleged irregularities in the investigation, a lawyer for the...

French Mutual Insurer Covéa Eyes Purchase of AXA XL’s Reinsurance Business: Reports

Jun 28 2021 // Covéa, the French non-life mutual, is interested in acquiring AXA XL’s reinsurance business, AXA Re, in a deal that could be valued at €5 billion, according to press reports.The news story, which originally...

French Chef Seeks $1.9M from Allianz for Biz Income Losses During COVID Lockdowns

Jun 17 2021 // A French Michelin three-star chef is asking Allianz SE for 1.6 million euros ($1.9 million) in insurance claims for losses suffered by his restaurants during the country’s lockdowns, a person familiar with the matter...

Court Orders IKEA to Pay $1.2M Fine for Spying on French Employees

Jun 17 2021 // PARIS – A French court on Tuesday ordered IKEA to pay a 1 million euro ($1.2 million) fine for spying on its French staff, after the world’s biggest furniture retailer was found guilty of improperly gathering and...

AXA Offers €300M to Settle COVID-19-Related BI Claims for French Restaurant Owners

Jun 10 2021 // AXA has offered a settlement to 15,000 French restaurant owners that purchased non-damage business interruption insurance after previously denying coverage during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns.AXA estimates the cost of these...

People Moves: Aon’s Bonner to TigerRisk; Trivitt Promoted at AXIS, RSA’s Birre Julvécourt to BHSI in France

Jun 2 2021 // This wrap-up of international People Moves details recent appointments at TigerRisk Partners (which is launching a global trade credit, surety and political risk business); AXIS Insurance, and Berkshire Hathaway Specialty...

French Regulator Dismisses Covéa Market Abuse Charges Filed Against SCOR’s Kessler

May 28 2021 // France’s financial markets regulator dismissed market abuse charges, which had been filed against SCOR’s Chairman and CEO Denis Kessler by the reinsurer’s largest shareholder, Covéa.The investigation...

Airbus, Air France Could Face Charges of Manslaughter over Deadly Crash in 2009

May 13 2021 // Airbus SE and Air France-KLM could face charges of involuntary manslaughter over the deadly crash of a Paris-bound plane off the Brazilian coast over a decade ago.The Paris appeals court ruled Wednesday that the case...