It catches fire again the battle between Mediaset and Vivendì. The Alfa board of directors, through a resolution, denied access to the proceedings of the assembly held today to Simon Fiduciaria, the trust to which the French giant has entrusted the 19,9% of the Mediaset capital in its possession (the the remaining 9,6% remained directly in the hands of Vivendi, who instead did not appear) also opposing his request to exercise voting rights.
The news was communicated by the Cologno Monzese company which explains how the decision was "taken on the basis of legal opinions examined by the board of directors" believing that the shares "were purchased in violation" of the commitments undertaken by the company led by Vincent Bolloré with Mediaset as part of the Premium sales contract signed in April 2016 and then not respected by the transalpine group.
Speaking of the assembly, Mediaset has given the green light to the new board of directors – in office for the next three financial years – confirming Fedele Confalonieri as president. The number of directors drops to 15, of which 12 belong to the majority list of Fininvest: Fedele Confalonieri, Pier Silvio Berlusconi, Marco Giordani, Gina Nieri, Niccolò Querci, Stefano Sala, Marina Berlusconi, Danilo Pellegrino, Carlo Secchi, Marina Brogi, Francesca Mariotti and Andrea Canepa. All three members enter the list of funds: Giulio Gallazzi, Costanza Esclapon and Raffaele Cappiello.
In the same context it was also approved the 2017 budget, which marks the return to profit for Mediaset. In fact, last year closed with a net result of 69,2 million euros, which becomes 90,5 million at a consolidated level. Revenues also grew, rising to over 3,6 billion. “After three years of mandate at the shareholders' meeting, we deliver you a healthy and strong group, with a very experienced and motivated management. We have kept our commitments, defended the company and its value from very tough competition, from hostile operations, in a general context of contraction of resources,” he told the Confalonieri shareholders.
The president of the group then focused on the future of the company, stating that Mediaset will have to look outside Italy because the only alternative for the television content market is that of "aggregations and combinations of European companies".
The European agenda – added Confalonieri – is a very intense agenda where strength comes from being together and from being united by the same interests. The substantial issue is the lack of competitive alternatives, or rather, the alternative can only come from aggregations and combinations of European companies”.
We must look with interest at an international growth perspective in our natural bed which is Europe” the president then explained – “Why international? To create a larger scale of business that allows us to pursue opportunities that are not within our reach today; to strengthen leadership in content both in terms of local productions and the acquisition of international rights; to make sizeable investments in key areas for development such as content, technology, data, over-the-top services; to define technological and regulatory standards at a supranational level.
