The front of the port, so sensitive from Trieste to Los Angeles, continues to move on the wave of the logistics revolution. The latest news, truly sensational, comes from an authoritative source, namely Le Monde, the Parisian newspaper that without too many conditionals reveals the deal of the century: Vincent Bolloré, the Breton financier well known in the Italian news (still today a significant shareholder of Telecom Italia and Mediobanca) thanks to Vivendi, is negotiating with Morgan Stanley the cession of his African empire: 42 ports in which 20.800 employees work, 16 terminals, an almost exclusive gateway for the import/export of West Africa already colonized by Paris, as well as roads, railways and anything else that allows solid control of Françafrique. In other words, the heart of Bollò's entrepreneurial fortune, a former pupil of Antoine Bernheim, who at the time of the landing in the former colonies practically only had an old family paper mill, which was moreover in debt. A move that can change many balances in European finance, including Italy. Let's see why.
From 1986 onwards Bolloré, who that year secured, on the advice of Bernheim, the consllo di Scac, a commercial company active in fuels and other raw materials, has launched its own brilliant and aggressive African policy, accompanying the action of other Parisian companies, mostly close to the Elysée (such as Eramet, the first step in the fortunes of Romain Zaleski) until becoming the key figure in countries rich in raw materials, starting with uranium. An empire that, according to initial estimates, is worth no less than 3 billion euros. More at least as many if the group intends to exit the logistics business altogether by selling the European activities.
But why give up your first love, today more strategic than ever? The opinion of Cyrille, the youngest son of the tycoon in charge of the dossier, weighs a little. However, they matter a lot the judicial misadventures of Bollò l'africain that to avoid prison he had to explain to the Parisian judges that he had influenced, with bribes and maneuvers by his public relations companies (Havas and Publicis), the elections in Guinea (key country for the bauxite precious for electric batteries) and in Togo. Bolloré avoided conviction, but took it upon himself to pay a €12m fine to Togo. But above all, the definitive sentence complicates the business of his African companies: by statute, many multinationals cannot do business with the group. Hence the temptation to bundle up, also because potential buyers are not lacking: the French Cma Cgm, the Danes of Maersk or the emerging powers, from Dubai Ports World to the Chinese of Cosco. But the real question is: what will Bolloré do with all that money, already enriched by the billion-dollar sale of a slice of Universal shares, or a treasure trove that, in the best of cases, can close to 9-10 billion of Euro?
The answer lies in a forthcoming deadline. Bolloré, who has pocketed three billion euros with the placement of Universal shares and is about to launch a takeover bid on the Lagardère group (TF0 and other media, TV and newspapers), has promised to retire on February 17, 2022 when the group will be 200 years old. Then the baton of command should pass into the hands of Yannick and Cyrille, the two heirs of the dynasty. Dad Vincent, before handing over the baton of command could launch the takeover bid on the giant Vivendi, an information and music giant, of which it controls 27% together with the majority of Hvas and Publicis, the leading groups in digital advertising with strong growth, as well as having a foot in Italian TLCs but also in Brazil. A media giant with global ambitions comparable to the Murdoch group, the only one able to oppose the American leadership in the media, but also capable of influencing the political axis in France and beyond from the right. Even in Italy, a country in the past at the center of Bollò's strategies, then returned after the bitter battle over Mediaset, Bolloré still has an important role, starting with Mediobanca, in which it maintains a share (non-strategic shareholding, however) which will have its weight in the challenge to control the Generali. In this case, it seems, the tycoon is with Alberto Nagel.
