Vivendi chief Bollore evokes Havas tie-up possibility, no current project

PARIS Billionaire Vincent Bollore, the top shareholder in both media group Vivendi (VIV.PA) and advertising agency Havas (HAVA.PA), on Tuesday evoked the possibility of a tie-up between the two companies.

“It’s obvious that one day there will be something between Vivendi and Havas,” he said in an interview with Les Echos newspaper, while making clear there was no actual tie-up project at the moment.

Bollore owns about 60 percent of Havas and about 14 percent of Vivendi according to Reuters data. He is chairman and chief executive of Vivendi and recently tightened his grip on the business by nominating his son Yannick to the board.

(Reporting by Andrew Callus- Editing by Michel Rose)