France’s emperor Napoleon III signed Société Générale into existence in 1864, and the company has been a major presence in the country’s economy ever since with headquarters in the heart of Paris's financial district. Now a multifaceted financial services company, France remains the group's major retail banking market, but it has extensive and diverse international operations including corporate and investment banking, insurance, leasing, consumer finance, and global transaction banking, in over 60 countries.
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