Russia's windfall in energy resources has brought with it an improvement in the living conditions of its population over the last ten years, making consumption the main driver behind the country’s economy today.

Customers everywhere, be they individuals or companies, turn to their banks at one point or another to buy a car or house or to finance their development and investments. According to Albert Boclé, Head of Sales and Marketing for Societe Generale’s retail banking arm, "Major universal banks, authorised to receive deposits from the general public, fulfill the banker’s traditional role in that they strike a balance between resources and needs." Recorded on the liabilities side of the balance sheet, customer deposits make up a portion of their resources. The entire banking profession consists in transforming these resources (usually short-term resources) into medium-term or long-term loans.

Trading floors are relatively unknown. And yet they play a vital role in the economy. They are home to financial market specialists who, on behalf of their clients, design technical solutions allowing them to hedge risks and find market financing. Companies of all sizes, from SMEs to multinationals, institutional investors and governments call on banks and their trading floors for solutions to meet their needs.

In 2009, the leaders of the G20 group of nations embarked on a process of far-reaching reform of financial supervisory and regulatory structures. This commitment was reaffirmed at their meeting in Seoul in November 2010 with the aim of guaranteeing the solidity of banks to ensure worldwide economic stability.