Due to the d health protection measures related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the meeting of the Vivendi Shareholders’ Committee held on June 19, 2020 was held by videoconference.
Conversation with Simon Gillham, a member of Vivendi’s Management Board
Simon Gillham, member of Vivendi’s Management Board, Chairman of Vivendi Village and Senior Executive Vice President Communications, opened the meeting. He gave an update on Vivendi’s most recent developments, including the acquisition of an interest in Lagardère.
Mr. Gillham also answered the Committee’s questions about the consequences of the pandemic on the Group’s activities, the changes in the share price, the Group’s interests in Italy, the current and future positioning of Canal + France, and the planned IPO of Universal Music Group (UMG) by 2023.
Update on the first quarter of 2020 revenues and review of the 2019 annual results
Solange Maulini, Vice President, Individual Shareholder Relations and Director press relations, recalled the Group’s presence across the entertainment, media and communication value chain, ranging from the discovery of talent to the creation, publishing and content distribution.
After explaining the changes in the main aggregates of the 2019 income statement and the revenues of the first quarter of 2020, Ms. Maulini highlighted Vivendi’s financial solidity, illustrated by a gearing ratio of 15% as of March 31, 2020, Moody’s has maintained its Baa2 rating.
Solange Maulini then reviewed the development of each of the Group’s main businesses and their major structuring transactions: UMG and the agreement with the consortium led by Tencent, Editis and the success of its integration and the pursuit of acquisitions, Canal+ Group and the successful and accretive acquisition of M7, and Vivendi and the interests in Banijay and Telecom Italia.
She finished her presentation by recalling Vivendi’s sustainable development model and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments.
Information on the General Shareholders’ Meeting held on April 20, 2020
Christine Pigeyre, Vice President External Communications and Chairman of Vivendi Africa, explained the main differences between the typical organization of the shareholders’ meeting and the one implemented in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, while emphasizing the large audience of the latter (2,925 live connections and 665 replays).
She then answered the Committee’s questions about this virtual closed shareholders’ meeting.
Presentation on Vivendi’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic
Frédéric Vallois, Vice President of Internal and Editorial Communications, first clarified that the Group’s entities, due to the diversity of their activities and geographic locations, were not affected by the pandemic at the same time and in the same way.
He then described the Group’s organization by business line, pointing out that the management of the crisis had been delegated to them.
Finally, he explained the numerous solidarity initiatives taken by Vivendi and its entities to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and its social and economic consequences.
