Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CIB) recently announced the appointment of Benjamin Lamberg as its incoming senior country officer for Japan, effective October 1.
Upon receipt of regulatory approvals, Lamberg will relocate to Tokyo from Taipei, where he currently serves as chief executive officer of the bank’s Taiwan branch.
In his new capacity, he will report to Jean-François Deroche, senior regional officer for Asia Pacific (Apac). The scope of his new remit will cover both the business’s banking and securities operations in the Japanese market.
“I will build upon all my relationship and experiences acquired over the years to bring added value to our Japanese clients, with a strong emphasis on both helping them move their ESG agenda ahead, while continuing our legacy to bridge continents together by offering cross-border opportunities,” Lamberg told FinanceAsia.
Prior to his experience in Taiwan, Lamberg worked as CA-CIB’s Apac head of global debt markets based in Hong Kong for over eight years; and as global head of medium term note (MTN) and private placements (PP) group in London for almost 12 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“Benjamin brings over 20 years of banking experience including significant exposure to Asia Pacific, specifically on market activities, which is a pillar of our business activities in Japan,” Deroche noted in the press release.
CA-CIB is one of the largest foreign banks in Japan, and it has built a strong profile in cross-border financing and advisory services, structured financing, as well as in investment and market capabilities through its hedging and structuring expertise, the release detailed.
In light of the Japanese market’s recent equities rally and the continuation of its weak currency, Lamberg told FA that the market sentiment could be further buoyed up.
He cited the recent, significant investment from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway into five of Japan’s biggest trading houses earlier this year. The move saw the company acquire stakes of over 8.5% in Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co, and Sumitomo.
Lamberg said this sent encouraging signals to the public. “We have seen foreign investors making their first foray into the equity market in Japan,” he said.
On the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) front, energy transition financing is among one of the key focusses for the team based in the Japanese market.
“Financing the energy transition is a priority across Apac, and will require large capital [injections] to enable it,” Lamberg said.
“From solar to wind farms, first of a kind waste-to-energy, and hydrogen projects, CA-CIB Japan is here to advise and accompany clients in the transition towards greener ways to generate energy.”
A replacement for his role as CEO in Taipei will be announced in due course, a spokesperson from CA-CIB said.
“The bank has launched a strategic plan with 2025-focussed ambitions, for which Asia-Pacific will be one of the key contributors,” she said.
“We conduct constant reviews on resources including staffing and will adjust accordingly in order to cope with our growth ambitions.”
