The Future of France HNWIs to 2015: The Wealth Sector from Ile de France to the French Riviera

Synopsis

This report is the result of WealthInsight’s extensive research covering the HNWI population and wealth management industry in France. It provides market sizing and forecasts of the HNWI and UHNWI populations. The report leverages WealthInsight’s HNWI Database, to provide key demographic breakdowns as well as region and city specific data.

Summary

France has the sixth largest number of HNWIs in the world behind the US, Japan, China, Germany and the UK. This report not only provides detailed forecasts on expected HNWI asset allocation of French HNWIs and UHNWIs to 2015, but gives the reader the crucial insight necessary to effectively act on those projections. In addition to providing a comprehensive and robust background of the French economy, including, uniquely, detailed analysis of economic and political risks to HNWI wealth creation, the report provides robust projections of the volume, wealth and asset allocation of French HNWIs. The report then couches these findings in an analysis of the French Wealth Management and Private Banking sector, and the opportunities therein. What really sets the report apart is its analysis and presentation of the demographic trends and findings of the proprietary WealthInsight HNWI Database.

Key Highlights

• As of 2011, there are just over 555,000 HNWIs in France, with a combined wealth of US$2 trillion, accounting for roughly 16% of France’s total wealth (US$12.1 trillion).
• The total number of HNWIs in France declined by 12.8% over the review period (2007 to 2011), while HNWI wealth dropped by 16.4%.
• Over the forecast period, the total wealth of French HNWIs is forecast to grow by 12.2% at a CAGR of 2.9%, to reach US$2.2 trillion in 2015. HNWI volumes will see a smaller percentage increase, growing by 9.1% at a CAGR of 2.2% to reach just over 606,000 individuals in 2015. Notably, this is below the level of 637,000 reached at the end of 2007.
• While Ile-de-France is home to the largest number of UHNWIs (51%), there are also sizable UHNWI populations in the Rhone Alpes (7.4%), Pays-de-la-Loire (4.9%), Aquitaine (4.3%) and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (4.3%).
• Rhone-Alpes and Nord-pas-de-Calais were the top performing regions for UHNWIs over the review period with UHNWI wealth growth of 12% and 23%, respectively.
• On a city level, Paris has the highest number of UHNWIs (1,501 UHNWIs), followed by Marseille (67 UHNWIs), Lyon (58 UHNWIs), Strasbourg (48 UHNWIs), Toulouse (44 UHNWIs) and Sainte Etienne (41 UHNWIs).
• WealthInsight research shows that over 1,700 French UHNWIs have second homes in the French Riviera (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), making this region a major hotspot for the wealth management and luxury sector.