Orange finally opted for a partnership with BNP Paribas, rather than a formal sale of its loss-making Orange Bank business. Less worrying about employment than the scenario of a complete sale to an investment fund, the scheme adopted, consisting in pushing customers towards the BNP Paribas subsidiary Hello Bank, nevertheless leaves the more than 700 employees of the telecom operator’s online bank. Within about two years, Orange Bank could no longer have any customers. The brand is even destined to disappear.
According to our information, Orange will however undertake to reclify all Orange Bank employees who wish to remain in the group. But the staff representatives are not satisfied with mere words. “We remain very cautious, everything will depend on what we are offered,” notes Sébastien Caerou, SNB union representative at Orange Bank. Orange declined to comment.