2023-11-03 06:06:59
It’s a little revenge for David Layani. Snubbed by the management of Atos in September 2022, despite a purchase proposal worth 4.2 billion euros, the founder of the technology consulting company Onepoint offered himself a little more a year later, for barely 50 million euros, a central power of influence.
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Taking advantage of the fall in the IT group’s shares, Mr. Layani opportunistically purchased 9.98% of the capital on the market, to establish himself as the largest shareholder, with whom it is inevitable to discuss. “We welcome the arrival of Onepoint and plan to enter into a constructive dialogue with them”declared Atos, Wednesday November 1, a few hours following the announcement of the arrival of this new shareholder.
Constructive, Mr. Layani assures that he is also constructive. “I want to support the current management of Atos”, assures the founding director of Onepoint, reassured by the arrival as president of the group of Jean-Pierre Mustier in mid-October. He also says « support the sale of Tech Foundations [infogérance] because the group needs to concentrate its strengths on its other activities in cybersecurity [Eviden] ». But, with his title as the largest shareholder of Atos, he wants “the project be renegotiated”.
Growing opposition
The plan unveiled by the group on August 1 plans to sell Tech Foundations to Daniel Kretinsky for 100 million euros. The Czech businessman would take over 1.9 billion euros in liabilities. At the same time, he would contribute 217.5 million euros to a capital increase launched by Eviden, which would give him 7.5% of the capital of this company.
Both sides of the project have raised growing opposition over the past three months: minority shareholders of Atos consider the conditions of the sale of Tech Foundations far too advantageous for Mr. Kretinsky, with Eviden retaining a large part of the debt. In addition, elected officials, senators and deputies, are concerned regarding the entry of this foreign shareholder into the capital of Eviden, part of whose activities are sensitive to national security.
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Mr. Layani does not wish to question the logic of the plan, but he wants to review its financial conditions. According to his reasoning, if Tech Foundations were sold for more money to Mr. Kretinsky, the additional money would allow Eviden to escape the capital increase. This would thus allay the criticisms of both minority shareholders and elected officials. His proximity to the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, or the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, might also play a positive role. Silent, the government nevertheless keeps a close eye on the development of the file. In addition to various contracts with the armed forces or EDF, Atos participates, thanks to its supercomputers, in the French nuclear deterrent.
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