Introduction
Asset management in Europe has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, shaking up the strategies of industry players. This phenomenon, reinforced by cost pressures and the need to invest in less liquid assets, is creating new opportunities and challenges for the recruitment market. Banks, insurance companies and asset management firms are competing to attract the most qualified talent. In this article, we analyse the main mergers and acquisitions shaping the sector, and how they are impacting recruitment needs, particularly in France.
A changing landscape
A number of strategic transactions have redefined asset management in Europe. Industry players are joining forces to create giants capable of competing with global leaders such as BlackRock, while meeting the growing demands of European regulators. A few examples:
- BNP Paribas and AXA Investment Managers: In 2024, BNP Paribas acquired AXA Investment Managers for €5.1 billion, a major milestone marking the consolidation of the market in France and Europe. The aim of this acquisition was to increase BNP Paribas’ market share in asset management, in particular to compete with players such as Amundi and BlackRock.
- Generali and Natixis: In January 2025, BPCE and Generali merged their entities, creating an asset management company capable of managing around €1,900 billion. This merger places this player in second position in Europe, just behind Amundi, but still far behind the Anglo-Saxon giants.
This trend towards mergers and acquisitions is fuelled by the search for better economies of scale and the need for greater investment capacity, particularly in less liquid assets.
What opportunities are there for talent in the financial sector?
This wave of consolidation, driven by the quest for critical mass, is generating an increased demand for specialist profiles to support these new giant structures.
- Cost reduction and operational efficiency: Merged companies are looking to streamline their operations while strengthening their ability to invest in assets requiring considerable resources. This is generating strong demand for profiles in risk management, compliance and investment management.
- Digital transformation and data science: The increasing digitalisation of the sector requires experts in financial technologies and data science to support the automation of processes and the exploitation of data in asset management.
Financial experts capable of adapting to these new dynamics are therefore in greater demand. Our agency, which specialises in recruitment for the banking, insurance and asset management industries, is ideally placed to help companies source the talent they need for this transformation.
➠ If you are curious about the finance market and want to explore your next professional challenge, our specialist consultants can provide you with expert advice on the current French job market in the fields of finance. Get in touch with a consultant via our contact page: https://emerique-partners.com/submit-your-cv/
The impact on the recruitment market in France
Developments in the sector are having a direct impact on the recruitment market. In France, one of Europe’s largest markets, this dynamic has led to a need for talent in both operational profiles (e.g. asset portfolio managers, financial risk analysts) and strategic profiles (e.g. compliance experts, risk management experts).
France: Asset management in France is dominated by players such as Amundi, BNP Paribas and Natixis. The concentration of activities creates a pressing need for talent capable of managing large portfolios, maintaining compliance and steering complex investment strategies.
Conclusion
The growth of asset management in Europe is creating a dynamic recruitment market, where only the most qualified talent will be able to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing industry. Through our in-depth expertise in the banking and financial sector, our team of consultants is able to source the profiles best suited to the needs of our clients in France. We have a thorough understanding of the skills required in the context of mergers and acquisitions, and have been putting our network and know-how to work for companies in the financial sector for 15 years.
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Auteur : Emerique Opou
Founder and CEO of Emérique & Partners
London, United Kingdom
Named to Staffing Industry Analysts‘ Global Power 150 Women in Staffing list in 2022, Emérique has over 15 years’ expertise in recruiting niche profiles in banking and insurance.
Its rich pan-European experience has enabled it to build a solid network of professionals in the banking and insurance sectors, including actuaries, quantitative finance experts, risk managers and audit and compliance experts.
In 2024, Emérique & Partners was a finalist in the Recruitment industry, entrepreneur of the year category at the Recruiter Awards in London.
In 2024, she was also a finalist in the SME national business awards in the ‘business woman of the year’ category in the United Kingdom. Every quarter, Emérique analyses the major trends in the French and European banking and insurance markets.
His rich pan-European experience has enabled him to build a solid network of professionals in the banking and insurance sectors, notably with actuaries, quantitative finance experts, risk managers, and compliance experts.
Emérique & Partners recruits exclusively at executive and senior management levels.
Every month, Emerique deciphers the major trends in the French and European banking and insurance market.
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