It's taken fifteen years but little old Betaville today finally made it onto Markets Live as a host albeit in a slightly different way to its original format.
Let me clarify what Markets Live is for readers unfamiliar with this journalstic outlet. It was the the live knockabout chat about what is moving stock, bond and commodity markets run the Financial Times blog FT Alphaville...
I see that Capgemini appears to have issued a categorical on the record denial about its interest in buying some or all of Atos, the belegeured IT and cybersecurity business.
How bizarre!
I mean, Betaville approached Capgemini and offered the firm an opportunity to comment on the story and this was response from Victoire Grux, the spokesperson for the consulting firm:
"We are not commenting on market rumours".
What changed between then and now?..
This morning France-based media outlet BFM TV reveals that the French state is willing to support a Thales acquisition of Atos's cybersecurity business. Below is a link to that article:
Mmm - I wonder what will happen next?..
So, Atos's new chief executive, Rodolphe Belmer, is quitting the company.
He only started in January and is leaving the company in Atos. This follows reports he fell out with Bertrand Meunier, the Atos chairman, over strategy.
The main point of issue between Belmer and his board was about the future of the company's crown-jewel cybersecurity unit. Belmer is rumoured to have wanted to sell it to the many suitors while Meunier was against such as idea, according to reports...
Atos has picked one of the worst days in the market this year to offload its entire stake in Wordline, the France-listed payments company.
Atos is selling its 2.5pc shareholding in Wordline tonight via an accelerated bookbuild with help from heavyweight advisers at Goldman Sachs and Rothschild & Co. Below is a link to the press release:..
Another day, another story about France-listed Atos from French media outlet BFMTV.
This morning BFMTV appears to be reporting that Atos will announce at tomorrow's stategy update a move to put its coveted cybersecurity business into a seperate legal entity, a sort of (non?) demerger despite several takeover approaches for the division. Below is the link:..
A curious story has emerged on French news channel BFM today about Atos, the France-listed embattled IT company.
According to BFM, Rodolphe Belmer, the new Atos chief executive, had presented several strategic options for its Big Data & Security (BDS) division to the board.
Under consideration by Belmer were an IPO, a spin-off or a strategic partnership with Thales, but the Atos board would have rejected them all, reports BFM.
So what next?..
Atos shares have had a torrid time over the last year despite perpetual rumours predators are circling.
Well, mutiple profit warnings certainly haven't helped matters!..