SKEMA Students Explore Sustainable Finance and Innovation at China CZBank

The visit was led by Matthieu Dumont, director of SKEMA China, Professor Dhafer Saidane, Director of the MSc Sustainable Finance & Fintech and Head Coordinator of the MSc Corporate Financial Management, and Professor Yuxin Su, Director of the MSc Corporate Financial Management at the Suzhou campus.

Immersive Learning in Banking Culture and Innovation 

Students toured the branch’s business hall, a model outlet for elderly-friendly services and a top ten branch of the head office. They experienced intelligent service zones, an elderly-friendly area, and a Chinese-style courtyard reflecting the bank’s public welfare initiatives. The internal museum showcased financial integrity, youth engagement, and the bank’s cultural philosophy, integrating Qing Dynasty Suzhou woodblock prints, intangible cultural heritage crafts, and Yangtze River-inspired installations.

PGE M2 student Clara Cuny shared, “This visit gave me a deeper understanding of the actual operation model of the financial industry. CZBank's integration of traditional culture with modern trends is very inspiring.”

Dialogue on Sustainable Finance and Future Prospects 

In the conference room, discussions focused on sustainable finance, international expansion, and talent development. Professor Saidane highlighted SKEMA’s research and educational initiatives in sustainable finance, while CZBank presented its strategic positioning, innovative financing solutions, and ESG practices.  

Students actively engaged, raising questions on supply chain finance, overseas business challenges, and cultural brand strategies. Reflecting on the session, underlined the importance of seeing digitalization, innovation, and ESG principles in practice, noting how the bank balances profitability with social and cultural responsibility.   “This experience has guided students to reflect on the intersection of sustainable development, technology empowerment, and social responsibility, demonstrating the responsibility and wisdom of SKEMIENS from a global perspective,” said Matthieu Dumont. 

About CZBank

As one of China’s twelve nationwide joint-stock commercial banks, CZBank officially commenced operations in 2004 with its head office in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Today, it is the 13th “A+H” listed bank in China and ranks among the top 100 global banks by tier-one capital. Guided by its vision to become “a first-class commercial bank,” CZBank operates on values of integrity, simplicity, professionalism, cooperation, and honesty, while advancing intelligent operations and customer-centered reforms. By mid-2025, the bank reported total assets of RMB 3.35 trillion, a net profit of RMB 7.67 billion, and a solid capital adequacy ratio of 12.31%. With 369 outlets across 22 provinces and regions, CZBank plays a leading role in Zhejiang, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Greater Bay Area, while expanding nationwide and overseas.