> Originally called BANQUE BELGO-LIBANAISE (BBL), the bank was founded in 1953 by Michel Sehnaoui & Fils in association with Banque Belge pour l’Etranger and Compagnie Belge de Banque et de Gestion, followed later by their parent company, Société Générale de Banque Bruxelles.

> In 1969, Société Générale (France) acquired a 25% stake in BBL which became SOCIETE GENERALE LIBANO-EUROPEENNE DE BANQUE (SGLEB)

> In 1985, thanks to the partnership between Société Générale (France), the Sehnaoui group and Société Générale de Banque-Bruxelles, the GENERALE DE CREDIT CYPRUS was established in Nicosia as an off shore banking unit (OBU).

> In 1991, Société Générale (France) increased its shares in SGLEB up to 50% by acquiring Société Générale de Banque-Bruxelles’ shares. In the same year, Société Générale (France) acquired Société Générale de Banque-Bruxelles’s shares in the bank in Cyprus, the latter becoming then SOCIETE GENERALE CYPRUS.

> In 1992, the bank acquired GLOBE BANK and integrated 11 new branches to SGLEB’s network.

> In 1996, SOGELEASE LIBAN was established as an affiliated company, specialized in financing professional equipment through leasing operations. SOGELEASE LIBAN is the pioneer and leader on the Lebanese leasing market. In 2001, SGLEB increased its shares in SOGELEASE LIBAN from 69% in 1996 up to 100%.

> In 1997, the bank acquired the total assets and liabilities of BANQUE J. GEAGEA.

> In 1999, the bank acquired a majority stake in FIDUS, a leading brokerage house in Lebanon, which became FIDUS SAL Wealth Management - SGBL GROUP. SGLEB increased its shares in FIDUS from 51% to 67% in June 2000 and to 100% in March 2001.

> In 2000, the bank acquired the total assets and liabilities of INAASH BANK, which led to a network growth with 13 additional branches, raising the total number of branches to 43, covering the Lebanese territory. This year was also marked by the creation of SOGECAP LIBAN, a subsidiary held up to 50% by SGLEB, specialized in life insurance activities and ranked among the top Lebanese life insurance companies. In 2000 also, SGLEB was the first bank in the Levant to access the Jordanian banking market by acquiring a 37.3% stake in the Middle East Investment Bank, taking control of the bank’s management. MEIB became in 2003, SOCIETE GENERALE DE BANQUE-JORDANIE (SGBJ). The bank’s shares in SGBJ stand at 50.07% as of year end 2006.

> In 2001, SGLEB opened an off shore branch in the free zone in SYRIA. During the same year, the bank’s name and logo changed: Société Générale Libano-Européenne de Banque (SGLEB) became SOCIETE GENERALE DE BANQUE AU LIBAN, in short SGBL. Also in 2001, the CENTRE DE TRAITEMENT MONETIQUE (CTM) was established by virtue of a mutual agreement between SGBL (50%) and Banque Libano- Française (50%).

> In 2002, the off shore sister company SOCIETE GENERALE CYPRUS, started its on shore activities.

> In 2003, the Syrian government granted a preliminary authorization to the strategic investors group composed of Société Générale (France), Société Générale de Banque au Liban (SGBL), and the Sehnaoui family, to create an on shore bank in Syria under the name of Société Générale Syrienne de Banque-SGSB.

> After the opening of the Sweifieh and Madina branches in 2003, followed by the Abdoun branch in 2005, SGBJ's network includes 16 branches in the Kingdom.

Opening of SGBL's 41st branch in Abdeh, in the Akkar region, allowing the bank to expand its coverage on the Lebanese territory.

> In 2006, with the opening of 2 new branches in Limassol and Paphos, Société Générale Cyprus (SGC) operates through 6 branches in the country.