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Who Will Bid? Aegis Rumours Continue
In an interview with the Telegraph newspaper, WPP Group CEO Martin Sorrell confirmed that he is considering a bid for Aegis, and that his main interest is in Synovate. Meanwhile, Havas Chairman Vincent Bollore continues to raise his stake in Aegis, and reports suggest that Publicis may drop out of the race.
In Sorrell's interview with the Telegraph, he confirmed that WPP has teamed up with US private equity firm Hellman & Friedman to consider a rival offer for Aegis. He did not confirm that a bid would be made, but told the newspaper 'our primary interest is Synovate,' adding 'Aegis has not fully developed its research business … I think we could strengthen Synovate.'
Meanwhile, French newspapers are reporting that Maurice Levy, chief executive of Publicis, is tempted to withdraw from the bidding. The group, which announced it was in talks with Aegis last month, is expected to announce in the next few days whether or not it intends to bid.
The third player in the story - Havas chairman Vincent Bollore - has increased his stake in Aegis to 15%. However, his intentions are not clear, and the Financial Times reported today that 'people familiar with the situation' say that Aegis is not considering forming an alliance with Havas.
Aegis is online at www.aegisplc.com , WPP at www.wpp.com and Publicis at www.publicis.com.
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