Banque Italo-Belge
The Banque Italo-Belge () was a Belgian bank established in 1911 on the initiative of the Société Générale de Belgique (SGB) jointly with Credito Italiano and other partners. Despite its name, it operated mainly in South America. It was known as the Banque Brésilienne Italo-Belge before 1913, and Banque Européenne pour l'Amérique Latine (BEAL) after 1974. Background In the early 20th century, the Banque d'Anvers, the SGB's affiliate in Antwerp, developed operations in Argentina in relation with local businessman Edouard Bunge. In 1907, the SGB fostered the merger between two London-based banks in which it had acquired equity stakes, the Bank of Tarapacá and Argentina and the Anglo-Argentine Bank, to form the Anglo-South American Bank. In 1910 a separate institution, the , was created by the SGB and the Banque d’Anvers together with the Banque de l'Union Parisienne (in which the SGB was also a significant shareholder) in order to develop financial relations with South America. The Banque de l'Union Anversoise was eventually merged into the Banque d'Anvers in 1919. Banque Brésilienne Italo-Belge In 1911, the SGB, together with the Anglo-South American Bank and the Banque de l’Union Anversoise, teamed up with the Credito Italiano, industrialist Emmanuel Janssen, Bunge, and