Bank of West’s French parent increases U.S. stake

I’m gonna share a little secret with you.

OK, it’s really not a secret. But it is something that not a lot of people know.Bank of the West, which came to Wichita in 2005 after its acquisition of Commercial Federal, is owned by a French bank.

That’s right, a French bank.

And that French bank, BNP Paribas, today acquired the equity prime brokerage business of Bank of America.

I’ve seen a few writeups today announcing the deal, and not one of them points out the relationship between BNP and Bank of the West.

Now you know.