In 1973, the Banque Nationale de Paris became the major sponsor of Roland-Garros (French Open tennis tournament) which is today one of the world's largest sporting events. This partnership marked the start of BNP Paribas' sport sponsorship programme, which has continued to increase over the years to achieve a global reach, as the banking group has expanded its international scope. As a result, BNP Paribas is now the top tennis sponsor in the world.

On the occasion of the 2012 French Open, BNP Paribas and the French Tennis Federation (FFT) announced a five-year extension (2012-2016) of BNP Paribas' role as "Major sponsor" of Roland-Garros.

"The partnership between BNP Paribas and the FFT will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2013, representing 40 years of shared joy and passion thanks to the magnificent sport of tennis. Roland-Garros has played a decisive role in building our visibility. It remains the "flagship" event of our tennis sponsoring programme. Our loyalty to this sport in all of its dimensions reflects the core values that are essential to a bank operating on the ground: local presence and support over the long term", said BNP Paribas CEO Jean-Laurent Bonnafé.

FFT President Jean Gachassin said, "It is a tremendous privilege for the French Tennis Federation to know that it can count on such a loyal and involved partner. BNP Paribas' investment is not limited to its substantial involvement in our major tournaments, such as Roland-Garros and the BNP Paribas Masters. But it is also committed to all areas of tennis in France, and this is extremely important to us. Thanks to this unflagging support, French tennis is so strong today, it has international coverage, it is expanding, and it guarantees us a promising future".

Every month, the BNP Paribas Group sponsors a high-visibility international tennis event, providing a key opportunity to promote BNP Paribas' image while sharing exceptional moments in tennis with its customers and the general public. Its commitment to tennis recently expanded to the digital world with the launch of the "wearetennis.com" website. This innovative platform, created by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, enables fans around the world to follow tennis news and benefit from tennis-related services. Tennis is the only sport that BNP Paribas sponsors, but its support covers every dimension. Its sponsorship programme applies to able-bodied tennis and wheelchair tennis tournaments, in professional, family-oriented, educational, and charitable contexts. BNP Paribas is thus developing a real relationship between its brand and everyone who enjoys this popular and elegant sport.

BNP Paribas and tennis
A long-time partner of tennis since 1973, BNP Paribas has demonstrated its active involvement in this sport at a local level as well as internationally, in professional, family-oriented, educational, and social contexts. Over time,
BNP Paribas has become the world's No. 1 tennis sponsor, serving as: Major sponsor of the Roland Garros French Open since 1973; title sponsor of the TEB-BNP Paribas WTA Championships-Istanbul since 2011, sponsor of 5 ATP Masters 1000 events (the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris since 1986, the Monte Carlo Masters since 2005, Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome since 2006, BNP Paribas Open held in Indian Wells, California since 2009, and the Shanghai Masters since 2010). BNP Paribas is also the title sponsor of the Davis Cup and the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas since 2001 and 2005, respectively, in addition to having an active presence in many other international competitions (Bank of the West Classic in California, the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca, the Open 13 in Marseille, and the BNP Paribas Showdown in New York). The Group is also an official partner of Tennis Handisport International (Invacare World Team Cup and the BNP Paribas World Team Cup). BNP Paribas supports the citizens' initiatives of many associations, such as the "Fête le Mur" charity founded by Yannick Noah, the "Téléthon du tennis," the "Oberer Tennis Camp" in Switzerland, the "BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis" in the United States, and many others. In 2011, BNP Paribas launched www.wearetennis.com, a website for tennis fans around the world. BNP Paribas continues to develop its sports sponsorship programme geared toward promoting tennis for all, in all of its forms. It is truly a universal commitment underscored by the Group's new sponsorship motto, "We are tennis."

About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees, including more than 150,000 in Europe. It ranks highly in its three core activities: Retail Banking, Investment Solutions and Corporate & Investment Banking. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail banking model across Mediterranean basin countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Investment Banking and Investment Solutions activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas and solid and fast-growing businesses in Asia.

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