France Proxy Press Release

Asset managers and issuers' positions on corporate
governance were discussed at the Paris EUROPLACE Financial Forum which
was held in Paris on July 4 & 5, 2006. A Special Focus was organised
by France Proxy, Corporate Governance Advisory firm for listed
companies, under the theme: "Corporate Governance: which assessment
tools for investors?".
Representatives of French large and mid-caps: Francois
Basset-Chercot (Board Secretary, L'Oreal), Martine Hue (Head of
Investor relations, Arcelor), Patrick Mangaud (Head of Financial
Relations, Bourbon) Patrice Menard (Head of Investor Relations, BNP
Paribas) debated with Jean-Philippe Desmartin (SRI Research Manager at
Oddo Securities) and with Herve Joubeaud (Vice-Chairman of the French
Institute of Directors (IFA)).
The panel discussed the increasing role of Corporate Governance in
risk assessment and its weighting relative to other extra-financial
value drivers. The variety of investors' assessment tools and their
weaknesses were underlined.
France Proxy will launch this autumn its Corporate Governance
Benchmark to provide one of the first self-assessment tools to french
listed companies.