Henri Germain
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Henri Germain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 19 February 1824 Lyon, France |
| Died | 2 February 1905 (aged 80) |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Spouse | Blanche Germain |
| Children | André Germain |
| Parent(s) | Henri Germain Claudine Lupin |
Henri Germain (February 19, 1824 – February 2, 1905) was a French banker and politician who founded Crédit Lyonnais.[1]
Henri Germain was born on 19 February 1824 in Lyon.[2] His father, Henri Germain, was a silk businessman, and his mother was Claudine Lupin.[2] He received a law degree.[2] He was a follower of Saint-Simonianism, and François Barthélemy Arlès-Dufour (1797-1872) became his mentor.[2]
Career
Germain founded Crédit Lyonnais on 6 July 1863.[3][4] It became the first bank in France to offer savings accounts with interest.[3] The first shareholders were Saint-Simon followers like Paulin Talabot (1799–1885), Barthélemy Prosper Enfantin (1796–1864), Arlès-Dufour, and Michel Chevalier (1806-1879).[3] Two years later, in 1865, he founded the Société Foncière Lyonnaise, a real estate company. In 1892, he spearheaded the construction of the Boulevard Carnot, then known as the Boulevard de la Foncière-Lyonnaise.
Germain was a member of the General Council of Ain from 1871 to 1883. He then served as a member of the National Assembly from 1868 to 1893.
