“Proglio never dies.” This could be the title of the Christmas blockbuster in the wonderful world of armaments. Hardly time to digest its non-renewal at the head of EDF, the former boss of Veolia is already back on the front of the stage, barely a month after his departure as revealed AFP Henri Proglio is strongly tipped to be appointed non-executive chairman of Thales, in tandem with a CEO from the internal, Patrice Caine, who will be the real operational head of the group. It is far from the fatwa announced by François Hollande in 2012, when he claimed to have two names on its blacklist. “Bernard Squarcini [the head of the DCRI] and Henri Proglio”
Of course, the decision is not yet officially cohosh: the Board of Directors under 18h to endorse the appointment of the new duo at the head of Thales was postponed indefinitely on a form of disagreement. “The negotiations stalled on how to get him to the council, said a source familiar with the matter. Patrice Caine should take the place of interim CEO Philippe Logak. It is unclear who will replace Proglio, a director of the State, or Dassault. ” Proglio-Caine tandem scenario would not be questioned so far, although recent escapades governance group calls for great caution.
His relations with Djouhri have played
How does he Veolia’s former boss could return so quickly in the game? Proglio could count on the unwavering support of Dassault Aviation, Thales second largest shareholder (25.3%) after the state (26.4%). “Dassault did things quietly, as he knows well do it,” said a close to the negotiations. Proglio is an old acquaintance of the house Dassault: the former boss of EDF’s director of aviation subsidiary, and even seat of the Elders Committee to clarify the succession of the patriarch Serge Dassault in the holding GIMD
.
Proglio as long Serge Dassault shared with a fascination for the controversial businessman Alexandre Djouhri, relations between the two men are notoriously distended since. Djouhri had also been repeatedly cited as an intermediary on large contracts covered by Thales, as the Saudi contract Miksa securing borders, eventually won by EADS (Airbus Group today).
Sign its influence with Serge Dassault, Dassault Proglio had even convinced to invest in Veolia, which is a shareholder at 6%. If the financial operation proved disastrous – the share price still two times lower than at the time of the transaction, the case did not affect the confidence of the family. Dassault even followed Proglio in his coup attempts against his successor Antoine Frérot, which have all ended in failure.
A truly non-executive chairman?
No spiteful, the family group has pushed his weight the name of the former CEO of EDF for the presidency of Thales. The group had long supported the candidacy of Pierre-Eric Pommelet, general manager of defense systems, facing a Patrice Caine supported by the State in all its components (Elysée, Bercy, Defense). This last named CEO, Proglio would merely the position of non-executive chairman. At least in theory: “All those who know him know that he did not really have the profile of a single council president, said one expert from home Thales But the same tendency to charge ahead Patrice Caine them. both can agree on. ” Proglio is also close to Stéphane Caine’s brother Patrick, he had himself recruited in 1999 at Veolia.
At Thales, Henri Proglio has a few tricks up his sleeve. In addition to support from Dassault, it is part of a “Roussely galaxy,” the name of the former boss of EDF, which has always been interested in the fate of Thales. End of 2012, the hearings of the candidates for the leadership of the aerospace group, defense and security had even performed … the EDF seat.
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