Robert Lerwill, chief executive of Aegis has said that the media and communications company is not holding any talks with Vincent Bollore in regards to a possible merger with rival advertising group Havas.
Lerwill added that he would be opposed to granting Bollore a seat on the Aegis board of directors if the French entrepreneur were to request one.
Speaking to French daily newspaper, La Tribune, the Aegis boss explained: “This would pose a conflict of interests with our clients.”
Last year saw Lerwill warming to a partnership in media with Havas. Speaking in October, he said: “There is a certain logic to a partnership with Havas and its MPG subsidiary, but for the moment no concrete project is being studied (see Lerwill Says There Is Logic To Partnership With Havas).”
Separately, Bollore has stated that his interest in Aegis is a purely financial one, rather than a strategic holding. “Maybe Aegis will be a long-term shareholding one day,” the media boss said in November, “but for the moment it is a financial one (see Bollore Surpasses 20% Share In Aegis).
Bollore currently holds a 25% stake in Aegis, after slowing pushing his share up over the past months from just 6% in September (see Bollore Raises Aegis Stake To Over 25%).
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