Société Générale unveils new innovation hub
The Dunes
Société Générale has launched its new innovation hub – The Dunes – a 126,000 square-metre building complex in Val-de-Fontenay, a suburb of Paris.
The firm says 5,000 of its employees “working in technology” will be based there and the hub is “at the heart” of its “digital transformation”. But it’s doubtful the building will transform the lives of the 2,000+ staff that Société Générale is laying off. All part of its plans to cut costs in retail and invest in digital banking.
The hub will do the usual things that companies say they will do – “open and collaborative working methods” and provide the resources to “invent the bank of tomorrow”.
Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles, head of resources and innovation at Société Générale, had nothing innovative to say about the launch. Just jargon – such as “a co-creation process centred on user experience” and “enhance its performance for the benefit of its customers”.
The building has been designed as a “cross-functional” technology hub, so innovation is designed to be quicker between its data, IT security and IT systems architecture teams; and the departments that work closely with these tech teams.
The Dunes also has a technical assistance stand and a bank branch, as well as a games room and places for listening to music.
Société Générale has been based in Val-de-Fontenay since 1992 and decided to expand its presence there as it likes the area.
