Aegis shareholders rebuff Bollore bid

Vincent Bollore has lost his bid to win two Aegis board seats after 58 per cent voted against his candidates at the company's AGM. <BR><BR> The result was a setback for the French investor and Havas chairman, who wants to set up an alliance between Aegis' media buying business Carat and Havas' media agency, Media Planning Group. <BR><BR> It vindicated Lord Sharman, the Aegis chairman, who had decried Bollore's (pictured) manoeuvres as a "severe" conflict of interest and urged shareholders to vote against Bollore's two candidates, Philippe Germond and Roger Hatchuel. <BR><BR> In a statement reacting to the result, Lord Sharman thanked shareholders for their support and expressed hope that Aegis could put Bollore's interest in board seats behind it, but tried to be conciliatory to his opponent. <BR><BR> "From here it is business as usual. So far as we are concerned this was a single disagreement about a single issue of principle and we remain committed to an open and frank dialogue with all of our shareholders, including Group Bollore." <BR><BR> <a href="http://www.brandrepublic.com/home/article/564364/aegis-shareholders-rebuff-bollores-bid-board-influence/">Click here for Brand Republic</a>