In 1763, returning to France after a stay in England, de Ladebat entered his father's naval armaments business, invested heavily in the development of an "Experimental Farm" in Pessac, and began to deforest the moors of Bordeaux.

On 20 June 1792, during the riots at the Tuileries Palace, he defended King Louis XVI of France and the royal family, an action that led to his arrest the following December.

Though released at the beginning of the Convention, de Ladebat was again imprisoned under the Reign of Terror as a suspect because of his connections with the Girondins.

De Ladebat represented a danger to individuals in compromising or corrupt positions of power in need of enormous financial support.

However, he remained suspicious of Bonaparte, who had always blamed him for denouncing previous acts of violence in Italy, and had demanded his dismissal shortly before the events of 18 Fructidor.

Explaining his abstention from politics, he wrote, De Ladebat gained widespread recognition for his financial competence and ability after taking over the direction of the Banque Territoriale and organizing the final liquidation of the Caisse d'Escompte, a predecessor of the Banque de France.

He sought to repair the damage done to his finances following his deportation after 18 Fructidor; he reclaimed the remainder of his dispersed or confiscated assets and, notably, obtained compensation for the Sartine,[4] one of his family-owned boats earlier requisitioned for use in the Indies.