Fourtou may replace Viv U heavy Licoys
French broker, Levy, waits in wings
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PARIS -- Vivendi Universal topper Jean-Rene Fourtou plans to oust Eric Licoys, the Franco-American media conglom's CEO and VP of the Canal Plus supervisory board, replacing him with Jean-Bernard Levy, CEO of French brokerage Bourse Oddo, according to a report in the French press.
Fourtou is expected to announce today the appointment of Levy to a specially created post. Licoys, once the right-hand man of ousted Viv U topper Jean-Marie Messier, was guaranteed his job for six to nine months through a deal Messier cut on his way out, Gallic daily Liberation reported.
Levy served twice under right-wing minister Gerard Longuet (1986-88 and 1993-94), after which he became president of Matra Communications, a subsid of French media group Lagardere.
Longuet, who is said to be a close friend of Fourtou's, has been accused of being involved in several shady financial deals, and is under indictment for involvement in allegedly illegal financing of his political party.
By hiring Levy and ousting Licoys, Fourtou would kill two birds with one stone: clean out one of the last of Messier's soldiers and appoint a loyal ally.
In July, when Fourtou outlined his reorganization plan for Viv U paybox Canal Plus, he underlined the need for a "serious management" at the subsid.
Most observers took that to mean that he would eventually oust Xavier Couture, chairman of Canal Plus. Couture replaced Pierre Lescure, whom Messier ousted in April.
