SocGen's weirdly entertaining old M&A training video

SocGen already stands accused of having an ever so slightly murky past. Jerome Kerviel told of wild off-sites and there have been accusations of strange interview questions.

Now a video has surfaced on YouTube purporting to be SocGen material for training relationship managers, seemingly dating back to the late 1990s. SocGen confirm that it's authentic, but point out that it's ancient and bears no resemblance to their current training practices. They also say that it was intended only for internal use and that they've requested it be removed from YouTube ASAP.

Nevertheless, it offers an interesting portrait of a mundanely disastrous client meeting conducted by two bankers (a dominant blond woman and her gurning sidekick 'Dave') who look more suited to a career on a suburban industrial estate than anywhere else.

Apparently intended to show what NOT to do in a client meeting, it features such classic lines as:

"Moving forward, Dave will be matrixed into the relationship, serving in a liason capacity between his area and my area. We think this will be a really effective way to add to the coverage."

Or

Dave reports into the assistant deputy manager who is also the deputy head and is matrixed into the head with dotted line responsibility for all things to do with PetroBelagua. (PetroBelagua being the client at the meeting).

At one point the earringed woman takes a call on her mobile phone, apologising at the end that it was, a 'very important client'. At all times, she overrides the hapless Dave, speaks in a firm monotone, and is very pleased with herself

The video's been on Youtube for a while, but appears largely overlooked. Given that SocGen has been busy rebuilding its M&A business this year, new recruits may want to familiarise themselves with it soon, before it's taken down.