“France as the premier business centre in Europe represents a dynamic market for Scope, with major companies that are global leaders in their sectors in addition to Europe’s largest asset-management industry,” says Guillaume Jolivet, Managing Director of Scope Ratings. “Accelerating the growth of our office in Paris strengthens the foundation for an aspirational European undertaking,” Jolivet says. “Experience shows that European ventures thrive when the French and the Germans join forces. Europe needs its own rating agency to underpin its sovereignty in financing the real economy. We are also convinced that the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis will further illustrate the need for a distinct European perspective on analysing risk.”

“Scope, an entrepreneurial, independent and truly pan-European company, has its roots in Germany, but we firmly believe that a strong presence in both France and Germany is key to Scope’s future as the European credit rating champion” says Marc Lefèvre, Head of Business Development in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. “This is why Scope has added French talent to its team while further significant developments are on the cards for our Paris office in 2020, a year of transformation which will position France as Scope’s second largest hub,” says Lefèvre.

Recent additions at Scope’s Paris office include:

Marc Lefèvre, previously partner at EY in the Transaction Advisory Services practice and senior at Euronext as Head of Europe for listing activities after years in the strategy consulting world, has joined Scope as Head of Business Development in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Lefèvre’s experience and high profile in the Paris financial market and its ecosystem supports Scope’s ambitions for 2020.

Barbara Cohen, previously the Global Head of Credit Research at BNP Paribas Asset Management, has joined Scope as a senior team member in charge of rating methodologies. Cohen’s extensive experience in credit, including ESG, strengthens Scope’s existing team. Cohen heads the SFAF’s credit commission for the integration of ESG into credit analysis.

Olivier Toutain, previously Head of the ABS Purchase Program and Head of Risk Modelling at a Eurosystem institution, and a former senior credit officer at Moody’s, has joined Scope to support the structured finance team and strategic projects. Toutain has over 20 years of experience on the European securitisation market and is Associate Professor at Paris Dauphine University.

Scope Ratings GmbH is part of the Scope Group, which employs more than 220 staff across Europe, with offices in Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, London, Madrid, Milan and Oslo. Scope Ratings’ coverage in Europe has expanded rapidly in the past three years and now includes all major debt capital sectors with total rated debt worth EUR 20tr.

For further information on Scope, visit: www.scopegroup.com