Global 500 rank: 25 (Previous rank: 34)
2006 Revenues (millions): $109,214
Headquarters: Paris
Country: France
BNP Paribas is France's second-largest bank by revenues, behind Crédit Agricole. But it has a much bigger reach abroad than its competitor. More than half of its bank branches are outside France, in fast-growing economies like Turkey and Russia. That propelled profits to a record $9.1 billion last year. BNP Paribas is also a global leader in selling sophisticated investment products like derivatives. These services now make up a third of total profits.
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25. BNP Paribas
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