Vincent Bolloré
Encyclopedia
Vincent Bolloré is a French industrialist, corporate raider and businessman.
He heads the family investment group Bolloré
and is ranked 736th richest person in the world according to Forbes, with an estimated fortune of US$1.7 billion. He is married, with 4 children.
. He attended the Lycée Janson de Sailly
before graduating with a Master of Laws
(LLM) degree from Université Paris X Nanterre
. Bolloré started his career as an investment bank trainee at Edmond de Rothschild.
His personal investment career began when he took over the reins at his family-controlled conglomerate Bolloré
, which deals in maritime freight and African trade, and paper manufacturing (cigarette and bible paper
). The company he leads today employs 33,000 people around the world.
He is a well-known corporate raider in France who has succeeded in making money by taking large stakes in French listed companies, in particular the building and construction group Bouygues
, where he left with a sizeable capital gain after a power-struggle.
In late 2004, his investment group started building a stake in advertising group Havas
, becoming its largest single shareholder. He mounted a coup and replaced Alain de Pouzilhac as Havas Chief Executive Officer on 12 July 2005.
In 2005, through his family company, Bolloré expanded his media interests by launching the Direct 8
television station. Towards the end of 2005, he began building a stake in independent British media planning and buying
group, Aegis
. As of 19 July 2006, his stake in Aegis stood at 29%. Direct Soir, a free newspaper, was launched in June 2006. In January 2008, he manifested interest in becoming a shareholder of famed, but troubled, Italian car manufacturer Pininfarina
.
He is a close personal friend of French President Nicolas Sarkozy
. It has been told that their friendship goes back over 20 years. Sarkozy has been criticized for accepting vacations from Bolloré, as did president Georges Pompidou
with Vincent's father, Michel Bolloré. They have both claimed that no conflict of interest exists.
The Bolloré Group also has important positions in the economies of several former French colonies in Africa (in particular Ivory Coast, Gabon, Cameroon, and Congo).
He heads the family investment group Bolloré
Bolloré
Bolloré is a French investment and industrial holding group headquartered in Puteaux, on the western outskirts of Paris, France. The company, a paper-energy-plantations-logistics conglomerate, employs 28,000 people around the world....
and is ranked 736th richest person in the world according to Forbes, with an estimated fortune of US$1.7 billion. He is married, with 4 children.
Biography
Vincent Bolloré is from a well-off family from BrittanyBrittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. He attended the Lycée Janson de Sailly
Lycée Janson de Sailly
Lycée Janson de Sailly is a lycée located in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris, France. It is generally considered as one of the most prestigious lycées in Paris...
before graduating with a Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(LLM) degree from Université Paris X Nanterre
University of Paris X: Nanterre
Paris West University Nanterre La Défense formerly called Paris X Nanterre is a French university in the Academy of Versailles. It is one of the 13 successor universities of the University of Paris. It is located in the western suburb of Nanterre, near La Défense, the business district of Paris...
. Bolloré started his career as an investment bank trainee at Edmond de Rothschild.
His personal investment career began when he took over the reins at his family-controlled conglomerate Bolloré
Bolloré
Bolloré is a French investment and industrial holding group headquartered in Puteaux, on the western outskirts of Paris, France. The company, a paper-energy-plantations-logistics conglomerate, employs 28,000 people around the world....
, which deals in maritime freight and African trade, and paper manufacturing (cigarette and bible paper
Bible paper
Bible paper is a thin grade of paper used for printing books which have a large number of pages. Technically it is called lightweight offset paper and is a type of woodfree uncoated paper. It is used for making Bibles, encyclopedias and dictionaries. This paper grade often contains cotton or linen...
). The company he leads today employs 33,000 people around the world.
He is a well-known corporate raider in France who has succeeded in making money by taking large stakes in French listed companies, in particular the building and construction group Bouygues
Bouygues
Bouygues S.A. is a French industrial group headquartered in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. Bouygues is listed on Euronext Paris exchange and is a blue chip in the CAC 40 stock market index. The company was founded in 1952 by Francis Bouygues and since 1989 has been led by his son Martin...
, where he left with a sizeable capital gain after a power-struggle.
In late 2004, his investment group started building a stake in advertising group Havas
Havas
Havas is the second largest advertising group in France and is a "Global advertising and communications services group" and the sixth-largest global advertising and communications group worldwide, operating on the communications consulting market through three main operational divisions:*Euro RSCG...
, becoming its largest single shareholder. He mounted a coup and replaced Alain de Pouzilhac as Havas Chief Executive Officer on 12 July 2005.
In 2005, through his family company, Bolloré expanded his media interests by launching the Direct 8
Direct 8
Direct 8 is a national French TV channel, owned by Vincent Bolloré. It is available through digital terrestrial television network "TNT" and the Astra 1H satellite position....
television station. Towards the end of 2005, he began building a stake in independent British media planning and buying
Media planning
Media planning is generally the task of a media agency and entails finding the most appropriate media platforms for a client's brand or product...
group, Aegis
Aegis Group plc
Aegis Group plc is a global media and digital marketing communications group. Aegis plc has two operating businesses, Aegis Media and Aztec, the scan-based market and consumer insights company...
. As of 19 July 2006, his stake in Aegis stood at 29%. Direct Soir, a free newspaper, was launched in June 2006. In January 2008, he manifested interest in becoming a shareholder of famed, but troubled, Italian car manufacturer Pininfarina
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
.
He is a close personal friend of French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
. It has been told that their friendship goes back over 20 years. Sarkozy has been criticized for accepting vacations from Bolloré, as did president Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
with Vincent's father, Michel Bolloré. They have both claimed that no conflict of interest exists.
The Bolloré Group also has important positions in the economies of several former French colonies in Africa (in particular Ivory Coast, Gabon, Cameroon, and Congo).
External links
- official site of Bolloré group
- Vincent Bolloré AXA Talents (www.axa-im-talents.com) (7 September 2006)