Industry Tertiary – Hello Lille – I’m moving to Lille

Euralille business center — ©Euralille|Laurent Javoy - Hello Lille

©Euralille district Laurent Javoy|Laurent Javoy - Hello Lille

©Imaginarium building at the Plaine Image in the Union district.|Pascaline Chombart - MEL

©Euratechnologies Exterior Mathieu Lassalle

Located at the crossroads of Europe, Lille Metropole enjoys a strategic geographical position 30 minutes from Brussels, 1 hour from Paris and 1h20 from London.
Since 1920, with the emergence of distance selling thanks to La Redoute and Les 3 Suisses, the Lille metropolitan area has been home to a large number of major retailers.

Lille metropole, a superior tertiary centre

A network of service companies quickly grew up around this activity: customer relationship management, banking establishments, marketing and communication services, IT, human resources, cybersecurity and insurance.

Thanks to this network of supermarket head offices and the strong sense of family entrepreneurship they have fostered since their birth, the tertiary sector has become one of the most dynamic in the city. There are more than 43,500 establishments in the region, employing 110,000 people, who account for almost 11% of the national workforce (in the region).

With more than 107,000 establishments, including more than 70 head offices with more than 500 employees, the Lille metropolitan area offers undeniable potential for service companies, not to mention the companies based in the region and on the Belgian border!

(sc Insee Sirene REE 2021) (sc CCI Grand Lille)

Why choose Lille?

A club dedicated to companies in the sector, Les Places Tertiaires, the hub for experts and decision-makers in Hauts-de-France: with over 250 members, the club’s mission is to make high added-value services a driving force for development, innovation and job creation.

More than 17,000 establishments, including 150 customer relations centres employing 10,000 people (sc CCI Hauts-de-France).

Lille Metropole accounts for almost 60% of regional jobs in the sector, with 60,142 employees. It is the 4th largest metropolitan area in France (excluding Ile-de-France).

Operating costs in the tertiary sector are 14% lower than in other French cities and 23% lower than those of European competitors (sc NFI/EY 2020).

Dedicated support for companies in the sector, with a FinTech/InsurTech vertical within the EuraTechnologies site of excellence.

A dream talent pool, with 36% of the population under the age of 25.

Top-level higher education with 56 masters and 27 bachelor’s degrees offered in the region (20 establishments). More than 500 graduates every year.

Lille A Financial Hub

France’s 2nd-largest financial centre (after Paris), the Lille metropolitan area offers industrial, commercial and service companies a wide range of financial services. Nearly 80 establishments complete the range of services offered by the banking sector: all-risk cover, credit insurance, surety companies, private equity and consumer credit. Most of France’s major banks also have specific subsidiaries headquartered in the region, simplifying access to decision-makers.
In addition to this dense banking offer, the presence of numerous private equity players in the region offers you other sources of financing depending on the business sector, the amounts invested or the maturity of the company.
(Sc CCI Hauts-de-France)

80 financial institutions
69 credit institutions (13% of the total number in France)
13 international banks
1 regional delegation of the Banque de France
35 regional head offices
Almost 18,000 jobs in legal and accounting activities
11,100 employees in the banking sector
2,000 bank branches

A pool of highly qualified professionals

As the 2nd major sector in the higher tertiary sector, the insurance industry boasts a wealth of experience from the many players based in the region. The distribution of insurance products and the many pension and provident funds based in the region make it a prime location. The metropolis is also home to many regional offices of major French and foreign insurance groups. The insurance sector employs 7,800 people in Lille Metropole.

>EuraTechnologies - Lille CampusFind out more

A centre of excellence dedicated to digital technology and France's No. 1 incubator, bringing together 200 project initiators a year, 4,500 employees and 350 tech companies. More than 500 events are organised here every year.

>Euralille

France's 3rd-largest business district, home to 200 companies and 16,000 employees.

>EuraTechnologies - Roubaix Campus

Supports start-ups and digital companies specialising in e-commerce, retail and property technologies (PropTech) selected by the EuraTechnologies incubator and accelerator.

>EuracreativeFind out more

A site of excellence dedicated to the creative industries, you'll find almost 150 companies here, including digital marketing and events agencies, representing almost 2,000 employees.

The Key sectors

A project?

TheInvest de Hello Lille team is your partner for setting up successfully in the Lille metropolitan area. As experts in the region, we’ll be with you every step of the way, offering you privileged access to a dynamic ecosystem and a network of key partners.

Contact the Invest team

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