 He came to maturity during the turbulent times of French Revolution followed by Napoleonic Wars and The Empire, a period when the atmosphere was of rebirth, innovation, and tradition.When he co-founded Defoe Fournier & Co., his partner, Anatole Defoe, had been in banking for more than 20 years; however, it was Fournier's avant-garde approach to banking, a profession of utmost conservatism, was the reason of strong foothold the partnership gained within the establishment.Serving the needs of clients in remote areas and specialty situations, exemplified by colonial assets and major projects, the younger partner was the most celebrated traveling banker in Paris, mostly serving Defoe Fournier & Cie. needs by traveling were business required, and referring to his occupation as "merchant".