The brothers Guillemot standing KO. In the bitter battle that pitted him against Vincent Bolloré, family, originally one of the most beautiful success story of the French video game industry, announced Tuesday, June 7 bring “reluctantly” substantially of its shares in Gameloft Vivendi, after the success of the hostile takeover bid launched last February by french media giant on the publisher of mobile games, and allowed him to take control. “In this context, since it can not hope to create value for a majority shareholder with which it is in profound disagreement on strategy, the Guillemot family announces that it has decided, with regret, to bring the most of its shares to the takeover bid launched by Vivendi, “said in a statement the founding family of the editor.
a heavy decision for Guillemot, but that was expected. According to one analyst, the Guillemot would undoubtedly sell their shares but not now, not to disavow. They are going faster than expected. Prior to this assignment, the media group owned 61.71% of the capital and 55.61% of the voting rights of Gameloft after his takeover. The latter was reopened until June 15, “in order to enable shareholders who have not tendered their shares to do so.”
A control incompatible with the spirit gaming
in doing so, the Guillemot family acknowledged his defeat unconditionally. It is however strongly opposed to the aims of Vivendi since its outbreak in the capital of Gameloft in October, arguing that control of Vivendi “is not compatible with the need for creative independence Gameloft, which has built its success “. According to them, the media giant “has no coherent strategic vision or industry experience needed to succeed in the highly competitive industry of mobile gaming.” A source close to the declared Challenges just before the announcement as “Bolloré does not understand our industry. We do not take a company with creative force.” And he concluded with “it will crash.”
Vivendi was out of the video game industry since the sale in October 2013 of its US subsidiary Activision Blizzard acquired in late 2007. But the management has changed and Vivendi keeps reminding since October last that the video game has become strategic for him in a perspective of synergy with its many platforms (telecom, internet, TV, movies …).
The participation of the Guillemot family in Gameloft was 21.66% in April 4. Since the entry to Vivendi’s capital, it had also sought to increase its participation, going from 22% to 29% of voting rights as of March, according to its CEO Michel Guillemot.
the statement did not say whether the action is maintained for request the cancellation of the conformity decision of the takeover of Vivendi, granted in March by the financial markets Authority.
Michel Guillemot could leave office at the end of June, reported Le Figaro and the Quebec newspaper La Presse , citing a letter from the CEO to employees.
Should we see in this assignment a way against-attack on Ubisoft folder, which is undoubtedly the next stage of the rocket Bolloré in the video game? As Richard concedes Maxime Beaudoux, analyst at Bryan Garnier & amp; Co, “without Gameloft Ubisoft would be nonsense.” Vivendi needs to be Ubisoft’s video game division next to the television, music, film and the Internet. The sale of all shares in Gameloft will certainly be useful to strengthen the positions of the family in the capital of Ubisoft in which Vivendi rose to 17.7%. But the analyst who did the calculations, this represents the equivalent of 4% of Ubisoft, 150 million (a somersault all pretty well considering the resale price). Not enough to face the raid Bolloré, he said. If Vivendi said that nothing would happen by October, many predict that between the AG to be held in September and the end of the year, it will move. Hurry up. And releasing Gameloft, the Guillemot brothers, Michel and Yves ahead, prove once again that they will fight to the end with, why not, the arrival of a white knight to kick the impudent!
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