Interview w/CEO Messier (stolen from Softbank board):
To: michelda who wrote (4216)
From: Arthur Schenker Sunday, Mar 5, 2000 1:44 PM ET
Reply # of 4217
Interview with Monsieur Messier, CEO of VIVENDI, in "Focus" the Nr.1 German weekly news magazine 3/4/00.
F: in the battle around Mannesmann you joined the british side and helped them to win the deal. Did you betrayed Klaus Esser?
M: No. During last year I proposed to Klaus several times a cooperation, even fusion. But Klaus thought it was to early. And than we were chocked, when Mannesmann bought Orange. This wasn't our concept of a cooperation.
F: Were the "Good relations" between Mannesmann - Vivendi cut after this Orange Deal?
M: Not at all. Despite the Orange Deal we had talks about cooperation around year end 99. > ... but our discussions ended, because our opinions how to approach the internet were to different ... <.
F: You want to become the Nr. 1 Internet Company in Europe?
M: This question is easy: with our alliance with Vodaphone-Mannesmann (MAP) we have direct access to 80 million Europeans who have subscribed with us in one or another form: in Germany through D2, in Italy through omnitel and europewide by the pay-TV-channel Canal Plus.
F: The German Telekom wants to dominate the european internet-business as well?
M: Their plans have nothing to do with our strategy. They just provide a telecommunication service. T-Online is just a provider. We are also provider via Net, PC and wireless but > ... we want to offer attractive contents as well ...<. F: Who will be your partners for German contents?
M: I am very much persuaded, that MAP and Bertelsmann will sign contracts within few months.
F: Who are than your competitores - if you do not take T-Online as a competitor?
M: Rather AOL and Yahoo.
F: ... there are rumours, that you talk already with Yahoo?
M: MAP is an interesting partner for many companies. In fact we are in discussions with AOL and Yahoo-Europe.
F: Did the megadeal AOL/Time Warner increased the fever in this business sector?
M: This was the Big Bang. The Fusion Mannesmann - Vodaphone still was founded in the logic of the 20th Century. The Communication Giants of the 21st Century have to control all aspects of the internet business as the providing services, contents, Sales and Marketing.
F: Does Europeans have any chance against giants as AOL?
M: There is not much time left to create groupes like AOL/Time Warner. If all the companies of the old continent (= Europe; I mention this only for our chinese friends on board and correctly thinks that China is some thousand y. older) stays as small as they are actually, they will all be gulped down by the AOLs, Yahoos and Microsofts. (= by the USA)
This is a soft information only, but it shows the targets of Vivendis CEO.
Art Schenker |
