Henri de Castries says Hollande ‘must pick Wilson or Blair’

Henri de Castries

AXA chairman and chief executive Henri de Castries has said that the French government should learn from UK mistakes about the economy.

In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, de Castries said: “The UK was not in great shape in the early 1970s. Mr Hollande has to decide if he wants to be Harold Wilson or Tony Blair.

“So far he has been ambiguous. I hope he is going to go for Blair. I am not asking him to become Margaret Thatcher.

“It could get worse, but I am convinced that at one stage or another, reason will prevail.”

De Castries added that AXA’s French arm is profitable because the company is adaptable.

He also called on the French government to make business easier.