Patrice Durand, one of the most senior veterans of Crédit Lyonnais, will leave Crédit Agricole's executive committee after spending a year leading the integration of the two French groups to create Europe's second largest bank by assets.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Crédit Agricole said: "Due to the progress made by the integration project, Durand's supervisory role in this process will come to an end and he is now keen to embark on a new phase in his career."