The largest bank in the US is showing its openness to an unexpected interlocutor in France, ahead of the election
JPMorgan, the biggest US investment bank on Wall Street, is willing to hold talks with France's far-right National Assembly (RN) party ahead of next year's presidential election, a senior regional director of the financial institution said, as the major companies reassess how they approach a party that is gaining ground in the polls.
Matthieu Wiltz, JPMorgan's EMEA co-CEO, told reporters on a conference call on Tuesday that he was willing to talk to all political parties when asked specifically about the RN.
“We are trying to have a dialogue with all (political parties). I am happy to talk to anyone,” he said. “I really want to explain why it is important to have strong banks and strong European companies, and why this would be beneficial for France in the long term – and for the European Union as well,” Wiltz added.
For years, major companies have largely avoided involvement with the RN, but with polls suggesting the party could win the 2027 election, many are now seeking to better understand and influence the party's economic agenda.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Jordan Bardella, met with the country's leading employers' federation last month.
Earlier in April, Marine Le Pen, the longtime RN leader and three-time presidential candidate, attended a dinner in Paris with several of France's top CEOs, including the heads of oil giant TotalEnergies and fashion group LVMH (Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton), according to sources.
Despite these rapprochement efforts, RN has yet to fully win the trust of much of the French business community, where chief executives remain wary of the formation's changing economic stance.
Polls show the party is a strong contender to win power, although it remains uncertain whether Le Pen – who was convicted of embezzlement in 2025 and banned from running for five years – will be eligible to run, pending an appeal decision expected in July.
Wiltz's remarks also come as the largest US bank balances its operations between Paris and London in the post-Brexit landscape.
“Brexit has happened. We now live in a world where we have to find a balance between Britain and what we have here in France and in the EU,” he said.
“In the current state of things, frankly, there is nothing to push us to move outside of France. France is still very attractive,” Wiltz added.
JPMorgan has more than 1,000 employees in Paris and has expanded its presence in recent years, including with plans for a new office to support its growing operations there.
