Bank of the West history

After opening its first office in San Francisco in 1877, the Comptoir national d’escompte de […]

When all bank notes became convertible to gold or silver in 1880, the bank converted from a gold national bank and changed its name to the First National Bank of San Jose, California.

But the permanent installation of the Group dates from 1919, with the creation of the FABC in New York.

The Comptoir d’Escompte de Mulhouse, founded at the initiative of textile and manufacturing entrepreneurs, was taken over by its subsidiary, the Banque Nationale de Crédit, in 1930.

They merged in 1966 to form the first French state bank, the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP). BNP was part of extending access to the banking system to the French population on a massive scale.

That is why BNP opened a branch in San Francisco in 1969.

In 1970, Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) established the French Bank of California.

Determined to expand further in the western portion of the United States, BNP created a subsidiary in June 1972, the French Bank of California (FBC) and opened a first branch in San Francisco.

BNP office, Chicago, 1974 – BNP Paribas Historical Archives

In New York, it doubled the presence of the FABC by a BNP branch in 1976.

78-17 of 6 January 1978, you are entitled to access the data collected by BNP Paribas and to have it amended, updated or deleted, where such information is incorrect, incomplete or outdated.

In 1979, BNP bought Bank of the West and merged in the French Bank of California.

In March 1980, in order to consolidate its position, BNP incorporated the French Bank of California’s business into Bank of the West, which enabled BNP to strengthen its presence in California with 50 additional branches.

Bank of the West, 1986 – BNP Paribas Historical Archives

In 1987, Bank of the West bought Bank of Los Gatos.

In 1988, California is the 6th largest economic power in the world and represents an opening to the western side of the Pacific Basin.

In 1993, BNP was privatised under the leadership of Michel Pébereau, who profoundly transformed the company.

Three years later, in 1998, BNP and First Hawaiian Inc., the parent of First Hawaiian Bank and Pacific One Bank, created a company under the BancWest Bancorp name to hold Bank of the West and First Hawaiian Bank, with Bank of the West absorbing Pacific One.

In 1999, after an intense stock market battle, BNP took control of Paribas.

In May 2000, BNP and Paribas merged to form BNP Paribas.

The creation of BancWest Bancorp caused the now-called BNP Paribas's (BNPP) ownership of the holding company to fall to 45%. BNPP also agreed not to increase its ownership of the bank holding company before November 2001.

In December 2005, Bank of the West bought Commercial Federal Corporation of Omaha, Nebraska.

As of June 2016, Bank of the West's CEO is Nandita Bakshi