The bank CEO who's learning how to code in Python

Should you learn to code in Python if you want to keep your job in banking? If SocGen CEO Frédéric Oudéa is anything to go by, the answer is yes. Oudéa himself has been learning to code in Python for the past two years, alongside his day job running one of France's largest banks.

Oudéa's hobby was discussed during a presentation to quant group Finance Innovation in Paris last Friday. "I wanted to be initiated into coding in the Python language," Oudéa said when he took up coding in 2017. "It's necessary that everyone feels ready for this digital transformation that's affecting the bank. I wanted to provide an example."

Oudéa isn't the only one learning how to code in Python at SocGen. The French bank is also running 'Coding Days' in which its developers and operational staff liaise with the intention of helping operational staff understand what developers are talking about. SocGen is active in helping students learn how to code through the Grande Ecole du Numérique. It also runs Coding All Star, a coding challenge in which French students can meet key members of SocGen's technology team. 

SocGen's emphasis on Python coding comes as other banks are also trying to upskill their staff. JPMorgan, for example, is teaching Python to 300 analysts joining its asset management division. And Goldman Sachs is making Python coding lessons available to its young female analysts. 

SocGen's emphasis on Python coding comes as the bank is also making redundancies, cutting costs and focusing on 'digitalisation.' With the CEO himself taking the time to learn Python, doing the same would seem to be near-mandatory if you want to remain employed in the long term.

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