As Brexit Looms, Paris Tries a Business Makeover

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Now, the country is in the midst of a sweeping attempt at national rebranding. Labor laws are being changed to make hiring and firing easier. New legislation has slashed a “wealth tax” that was said to drive millionaires out of the country. Courts with English-speaking judges are in the works, and a new international school is under construction to cater to the children of foreign executives.

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There’s a sense of urgency behind these changes. Hundreds of financial companies may need to relocate thousands of London-based workers before Britain leaves the European Union by the end of March 2019, the withdrawal known as Brexit. Otherwise, these companies could lose their financial passporting rights, which grants them privileged access to the 27 countries that will remain in the European Union. That has set off a high-stakes international competition among a handful of cities hoping to become Europe’s financial capital. Decision time is looming. The Brexit negotiation breakthrough announced on Friday merely solved preliminary issues that allow the next round of talks to commence. Under the current timetable, a final agreement must be signed well before the March 2019 deadline.

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HSBC said this summer that it might move 1,000 employees to Paris from London. In September, Bank of America was in talks to lease office space not far from the Arc de Triomphe, with plans to initially move 300 employees there.

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But the ministry also offers a public reminder of one of Paris’s enduring draws: great food. Ten chefs cook here every weekday in a 5,400-square-foot kitchen under the direction of Bruno Gricourt, who once worked at Michelin-starred restaurants. Executives who visit for Brexit-connected discussions, and stay for a meal, feast on Mr. Gricourt’s menu — which changes daily. “Grilled scallops with an emulsion of pumpkin and fresh hazelnuts,” he said, describing an appetizer he had made that day. “A very simple preparation that respects the ingredients.”

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