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Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani is the first woman to head the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). This senior official succeeds the economist Robert Ophèle.
Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani, 55, took office as President of the AMF at the end of October 2022, on the recommendation of Emmanuel Macron, for a non-renewable five-year term. What is the main mission of the stock market policeman in a context of sharp price increases, economic slowdown, turmoil in the world of cryptocurrencies with the scandal of the American exchange platform FTX ? Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani responds: “ The central mission of the AMF is the protection of savers. Today, there are many elements that lead us to be vigilant. We guarantee the integrity of the financial markets. And there is another area which has developed a great deal and in which the AMF has a very important role to play, and that is sustainable finance, which affects many of our activities, which is cross-cutting and in which we have a major investment to be made to support economic and financial players towards more sustainable finance. »
Missions that Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani will be able to carry out, assures René Ricol, former Commissioner General for Investment: ” We worked a lot together and I was very struck by both his technical competence, we often find competent people in Prime Ministers’ offices, but this very specialized technical competence is combined with the way of getting things across with both a lot of authority and, at the same time, a lot of listening. It is an opportunity for the AMF because it will be able, at the national and international level, to fully understand the technical nature of the cases which are becoming more and more difficult with standards, regulations which are constantly increasing, the interests of Europe and France which are to be defended. It has all the characteristics for it. »
In the service of the state
Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani was born in Corrèze and grew up in Auvergne. His parents were teachers. A brilliant student, she completed the ENA and then held high positions, mostly in the public sector, in the Ministry of Finance, in the office of Prime Minister François Fillon and in Brussels as a financial attaché at the Permanent Representation of France to the European Union. She also worked in the private sector at the direction of the National Federation of Crédit Agricole, then of the French Banking Federation.
But why did she mainly choose the civil service? ” I think that I am attached to the general interest, ExplainMarie-Anne Barbat-Layani. Then, I am French and I think that in France, the State, in the broad sense, has a particularly important role. It’s true in our history ? It’s also true that when the French are faced with somewhat difficult situations, quite naturally, they turn to the State and the State also responds. I wanted to contribute to this activity of general interest that is the service of the State. »
The cause of women
« I have a real commitment to the cause of women and I have great admiration for those who have succeeded without worrying about what was said about them, continues the enarque. And especially for Madonna, to whom we never stopped saying that she had to stop, that she was too small, that she didn’t sing well, that she didn’t dance well and then , very quickly, that she was too old and she never listened to anyone. She continued to pursue her career and is one of the most successful artists. I think that’s a good example. He don’t listen to people who don’t believe in you. »
Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani is married to Stephane Layani, president of the Rungis international market, with whom she has two children. Outside of work, she likes being with her family, swimming, reading and seeing her friends, friendship being “fundamental” in her eyes.