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Bollore Boat Keeping Sarkozy Kozy
Havas Chairman Vincent Bollore has taken a break from rocking boats at regular Aegis shareholder meetings to provide one for newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The right wing leader is celebrating his win with several days in the Med on the investor's 200-foot yacht.
France last night saw a third successive night of violent protest against the election result, notably in Paris and Lyon, with hundreds of arrests and cars set on fire, but police reported the number of protesters falling away.
Parts of the French press have criticised the trip as an indulgence, the socialist opposition calling it 'arrogance and an insult' to the people. Sarkozy maintains he has 'nothing to conceal and nothing to apologize for', points out that his trip 'hasn't cost the taxpayer a cent' and says he wishes the French economy had many more like Bollore, whom he has known for twenty years: 'It is no shame to have worked hard and built up a company.' Bollore says he is honoured to have his invitation accepted by the new premier.
Shareholders of Synovate parent Aegis plc voted decisively against Group Bollore's nominees for the third time in ten months, at an EGM in London on April 4th (www.mrweb.com/drno/news6637.htm ), with Aegis Chairman Lord Sharman repeating the assertion that Board representation for a direct competitor is 'an unacceptable conflict of interest'. Bollore is expected to try again in the near future.
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