Abstract:

Banks are always concerned to respond to market demand and consequently have an eye to the future, anticipate expectations and innovate. The approach of the single market is accelerating this process, illustrating a statement by the American philosopher Elbert Hubbard: "The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it". Against the background of these developments, Generale Bank has made strategic choices in the full knowledge that choosing is renouncing. I propose to comment on these options as follows: first, I shall remind you of the various changes we shall have to face up to; and second, I shall describe in detail the strategic directions we have decided to follow.