French oil giant Total SA is moving a key part of its financial unit from London to Paris just weeks before Britain leaves the European Union (EU). The company will move up to 70 of its financial managers and IT workers to Paris this year, said the CEO Patrick Pouyanne at a conference in the French capital. The finance team was initially relocated to London from Paris in 2013-2014.

This happens, because “it’s simpler in operational terms”, said Patrick Pouyanne, adding: “We can find talents in Paris that are a little cheaper than those in London, so overall it’s a logical solution that is accelerating from confirmation that Brexit will take place”.

After it became clear that the UK was due to leave the EU on January 31st, and at the same time, there were serious doubts in the corporate world about how future trade relations between London and Brussels would look, companies are trying to protect their operations from any future disruption.

Total’s decision follows similar manoeuvres from companies like EasyJet Plc and AstraZeneca Plc, which invested millions to prepare for life after Brexit, while Japanese companies Honda Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co significantly reduced their operations in the UK.

The CEO of Total was not worried about criticizing Britain’s exit from the EU in the past. In September last year, he said the British government’s decision was a “big mistake” and could make oil refining operations in the country more complicated.

For oil companies operating in the North Sea, concerns about the work of EU countries’ representatives on their platforms and the movement of the British currency are particularly worrying.

The CEO of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Ben van Beurden, said last year the company was prepared for all scenarios.