When the Brexit secretary, David Davis, confirmed article 50 will be triggered on 29 March, he called the process ‘the most important negotiation for this country in a generation’.

Brussels responded immediately with a tweet from European Council president Donald Tusk : ‘Within 48 hours of the UK triggering Article 50, I will present the draft #Brexit guidelines to the EU27 Member States. Donald Tusk@eucopresident’

Hard exit or soft exit? These are the uncertainties and national politics on both sides of the Channel will eventually  deliver the answers. But, in the meantime, and although this may not fully qualify as finance news we wanted to share some Brexit news that actually has everyone smiling.

‘Tired of fog? Try the frogs!’

Brexit with humour? The French are capitalising on an old nickname in a witty campaign to lure banks and companies to Paris.

Frogs and roast beef? The British have been poking fun at the French for eating frog's legs since the 16th century by calling them ‘frog-eaters’, now commonly shortened to just ‘frogs’. And the French have called the Brits ‘les rosbifs’. Calling someone a ‘roast beef’ may seem strange, although in its way not much stranger than calling someone a ‘frog’. The historical explanations for all this are even stranger and date back to medieval times.

On 17 October, the French administrative department of Hauts-de-Seine, which includes Paris’ La Défense corporate powerhouse, launched a campaign in France and the UK to promote La Défense and attract foreign companies looking to relocate after the Brexit decision.

The result has had people chuckling on both sides of the Channel.  

Behind the campaign, French officials from the business district said the campaign was aimed at highlighting La Défense, France’s financial powerhouse, which it said offered lower rentals than London and good public transport. In anticipation of London-based banks, finance sector industries and companies looking to relocate and establish domiciles in the EU post Brexit, the greater Paris region has begun a major upgrade and modernisation effort and made the argument for Paris as an attractive new home.

Key facts about La Défense

Eager to attract UK-based businesses in a post-Brexit world, here are a few facts about La Défense - in brief:

• 160,000 employees - 33,100 of whom work for foreign companies;
• 400 companies based at La Défense, 170 of which are foreign companies (40% North American, 35% European / EU);
• investing in the transport network with an extension to the Grand Paris Express by 2020 ; and
• construction of new towers for office space opening within next five years: Saint Gobain (2019) and Hermitage Plaza (2021).

About the author

Didier Hemion, partner at French accounting and consulting firm Primexis,  is a Certified Public Accountant and Statutory Auditor, and has more than 12 years’ experience in the field. He began his career with the audit firm PriceWaterhouse and joined Primexis (CPS France at that time) as director of the international business services (IBS) department in 1997.