Bank of the West and BNP Paribas to Host Third Annual International Hackathon in San Francisco

"We are proud to once again help foster creativity and global connectivity through the International Hackathon event," said Nandita Bakhshi, President and CEO of Bank of the West. "Each year, we see some of the best and brightest teams gather to develop innovative solutions to some of the most pressing financial issues of the day. This event underscores our company's commitment to evolve with the changing banking landscape and deliver the best global solutions to our local clients."

The International Hackathon is a three-part event, kicking off with the Hackathon Ideation Weekend on June 9-11.  From June through November, select teams will move on to a co-working phase where their prototypes will be developed. In December, there will be a demo day where finalists present their prototypes to a panel of leading BNP Paribas executives, independent innovation experts and investors.

Hackathon Phase I: Ideation Weekend

This year's two challenges address the changing faces of business and wealth management:

1. How do we create the best onboarding experience for our corporate customers through digital transformation, process automation, advanced data analytics, and machine learning?
2. How do we effectively provide automated financial advice?

"As the business landscape continues to evolve, we are seeking ways to connect business owners to resources—and to each other—through new channels," said Jean-Marc Torre, Co-Chair of the San Francisco International Hackathon and Senior Executive Vice President of Commercial Banking at Bank of the West. "Tapping the talent and expertise of technology innovators, in collaboration with banking professionals, can help us pioneer future banking solutions and create cutting-edge resources for businesses."

"Working alongside innovators and technical experts, we are looking forward to gaining new insights on how we can better serve wealthy individuals with robust financial solutions," added Pierre Ramadier, Co-Chair of the San Francisco International Hackathon and Senior Executive Vice President, Group Head, Wealth Management at Bank of the West. "Our goal is to anticipate what's on the horizon and develop new solutions to help foster deeper client relationships in the future."

Hackathon Phase II: Co-Working Period

Following the Ideation Weekend, select teams will move on to a co-working phase where they will have the opportunity to further develop their prototypes. They will receive additional resources, financial support and access to a customized internal network of mentors and experts.

During the co-working phase, local BNP Paribas and Bank of the West teams will select the leading solution to be pitched at the Demo Day in Paris in front of the BNP Paribas Executive Committee.

Hackathon Phase III: Demo Day

Teams that advance to Demo Day in December will have the opportunity to continue the implementation of their solutions and to start a new partnership with BNP Paribas and Bank of the West. They will fly to Paris to meet the Executive Committee of BNP Paribas and other financial technology experts. Finalists from the Demo Day will also receive an additional cash prize.

"From our first weekend in June to the Demo Day, these teams will have our best experts and resources at their fingertips," said Bakhshi. "We're dedicated to helping those participating across the globe get the most out of their experience at every stage of the Hackathon."

The International Hackathon is part of Bank of the West's and BNP Paribas' larger focus on collaborating with Fintech organizations in order to build upon and improve customer experiences. In 2016, Bank of the West and BNP Paribas announced their partnership with Plug and Play, a global innovation platform for Silicon Valley startups, corporations, and investors. The partnership brings Bank of the West and BNP Paribas into the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem, allowing them to scout and engage with startups. Additionally, in 2016 the Commercial Banking Group at Bank of the West partnered with L'Atelier BNP Paribas to introduce FinLab, in order to source ideas, design prototypes, and test concepts with Bank of the West commercial clients in an effort to identify and implement the best new developments in key business areas.

News and updates regarding the 2017 International Hackathon will be available from Twitter @BankoftheWest  (#internationalhackathon). Interested teams can visit the official website or contact Marie Pernot at [email protected].

About Bank of the West 
Bank of the West is a regional financial services company headquartered in San Francisco with $83.7 billion in assets as of March 31, 2017. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West provides a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services through more than 600 branches and offices in 23 states and digital channels. Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 74 countries with more than 190,000 employees. To learn more about Bank of the West, visit About Us via BankoftheWest.com.

About Bank of the West Wealth Management Group 
Bank of the West Wealth Management provides wealth planning, investment management*, personal banking, philanthropy, and trust and fiduciary services. The group is part of BNP Paribas' global wealth management business of more than 6,600 professionals present in three hubs in Europe, Asia and the U.S. with more than $12.1 billion** in assets under management in the United States and €354.5 billion ($378.7 billion) in assets under management globally as of March 31, 2017.

About BNP Paribas 
BNP Paribas is a leading bank in Europe with an international reach. It has a presence in 74 countries, with more than 190,000 employees, including more than 146,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main activities: Domestic Markets and International Financial Services (whose retail-banking networks and financial services are covered by Retail Banking & Services) and Corporate & Institutional Banking, which serves two client franchises: corporate clients and institutional investors. The Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realize their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. 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 in Mediterranean countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Institutional Banking and International Financial Services activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific.

*Securities and variable annuities are offered through BancWest Investment Services, a registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Financial Advisors are Registered Representatives of BancWest Investment Services. Fixed annuities/insurance products are offered through BancWest Insurance Agency in California, (License #0C52321) and through BancWest Investment Services, Inc. in AZ, CO, IA, ID, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY, HI, Guam and CNMI. Bank of the West and its various affiliates and subsidiaries are not tax or legal advisors.

 **Assets under management refers to assets under administration, management, advisement, and on deposit, including assets with our affiliate BancWest Investment Services ("BancWest") as of March 31, 2017.

BancWest Investment Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of the West. Bank of the West is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas.

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