These two men have anything to hear: Xavier Niel and Vincent Bolloré are rich in billion interested both by telecom and media and lives a few meters from each other in the Villa Montmorency, this enclave of the 16th arrondissement of Paris reserved for the privileged of this world.
So have they discussed one morning in their mutual interest in Telecom Italia, or are they about to go to war to take control? For the moment, we do not know. But both French billionaires are trying to set fire to the Italian business world. This Friday, October 30 in the morning, Consob, the Italian stock exchange commission, announced that Niel, the founder of Free (and co owner of “Obs”) now held 15% (voting) in Telecom Italia.
Meanwhile Vincent Bolloré, CEO of Vivendi, which controls Canal Plus among others, and also attempts to pay Ubisoft announced this week be spent a little over 20%. Together, they are beyond the 35% stake in the former Italian monopoly telecoms which nobody wanted Yet until recent months, he was so in debt!
What the Italians say
The review of the transalpine press is telling. First, the Italians are changing vis-à-vis opinion of Bolloré: the former “friendly Breton”, starts typing their nerves. “The French climbing rose” headlines the daily employers “It Sole24Ore” in its edition on line. While talking about “Parisian polar” and “Italian silences”.
An anonymous banker goes to argue that” Bolloré pay our heads “saying” unthinkable “two” as French finance “have decided to” go to war in Italy “. However, the confusion is because other supposedly knowledgeable bankers argue that Niel was not even informed Bolloré, and its operation would be a “simple financial incursion” a test case to see “what it’s like “.
Two very different men
And this scenario there would, in fact much more logical than that of an alliance. First, the two men never worked together. Then they are both mavericks. Finally, ideologically, they are poles apart: Bolloré is an heir, who has only one objective, pass his fortune to his children. Niel, he is a self-made man who wants above all to have fun. Perhaps he has decided to have fun at the expense of Bolloré
Because this is Bolloré who finds himself on the defensive: it was he who tried to take control of Telecom Italia, bypassing the Takeover box and without spending too much, as is his habit. It was he who dreams of becoming the most powerful man in Italy: it is also negotiating with Silvio Berlusconi for control of his empire Mediaset (tv channels, TV production and film, publishing … ). In short, if he has not heard before Niel with all its transalpine scenario is taken aback by the movement of Niel.
The silence of Renzi criticized
But all observers agree however to negatively judge the behavior of the Italian government. Why does he react, they ask, since it is also a stakeholder in Telecom Italia? The war between the two billionaires could lead to a social catastrophe, with 10-15000 layoffs in telecoms!
Matteo Renzi who cajoles opinion by celebrating the “small recovery” economy, can not be the allow. But he does not know what to do. So he said nothing. And the Knights of the Apocalypse “foreign” make their own way.
Marcelle Padovani
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