Étienne Delessert (banker)

Étienne Delessert (1735-1816) was a French banker and industrialist. Born in Lyon, he established himself in Paris and became a prominent figure in French finance during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Delessert was involved in various banking activities, including lending to the French government. He founded the first savings bank in France, the Caisse d'Épargne et de Prévoyance de Paris, in 1818 (though he died two years prior). He was also involved in industrial ventures, particularly in the sugar refining industry. The Delessert family continued to be influential in French banking and industry for several generations.