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Havas and Aegis 'Better Together' Says Bolloré
French financier Vincent Bolloré has said that if combined, his Havas Advertising Group and rival British marcoms group Aegis could 'do better'.
Bolloré is the controlling stockholder of Havas, and also owns a 29.9% share in London-based Aegis, the parent company of global MR agency Synovate.
In an interview with business publication Le Figaro, Bolloré expressed his opinion that together, the two firms would fare better against giants such as WPP, and that 'scale matters' during an economic decline. However, he also said he respected Aegis's decision to 'go it alone'.
In the past two years, Bolloré's attempts to secure two seats on the Aegis Board have been rejected five times, and in the summer, he said he would be unlikely to make a sixth attempt. Aegis refused board seats to Bolloré's representatives, arguing that because he chaired rival Havas, there was a conflict of interest.
However, the recent departure of Aegis CEO Robert Lerwill has sparked speculation about a merger between the two groups.
Industry sources have suggested Bolloré is 'waiting and watching' to see if the change in Aegis management results in a change in strategy.
Web sites: www.havas.com , www.aegisplc.com , www.synovate.com .
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