Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some membersof the Shareholders’ Committee participated in the October 23, 2020 meeting by videoconference while a limited number of other members were physically present.
Conversation with Hervé Philippe, member of the Management Board and Vivendi’s Chief Financial Officer
Hervé Philippe reviewed Vivendi’s current situation, observing that, in the context of the Covid-19 crisis, the Group had been protected by solid fundamentals and a subscription-based business model, particularly in its main activities.
He discussed the third-quarter 2020 business trends of the Havas Group and Vivendi Village, and the very good performances of Universal Music Group (UMG), Canal+ Group, Editis and Gameloft. He also explained the different steps of the opening of UMG’s capital and indicated that an IPO is now planned for 2022.
Vivendi’s Chief Financial Officer then answered the Committee’s questions, in particular on the arrival of the consortium led by Tencent in the share capital of UMG, on the evolution of Vivendi’s share price and its discount, on the share buybacks and on the broadcasting rights for Ligue 1 football for Canal +.
Presentation of Vivendi’s revenues for the third quarter of 2020 and of the first nine months of 2020
Solange Maulini, Vivendi’s Vice President of Shareholders Relations and Press Director reviewed the figures published by the Group three days earlier. She provided an update on the performance and development of each of Vivendi’s businesses during the third quarter of 2020.
She emphasized the Group’s resilience and the good balance sheet before specifying that, since 2014, Vivendi’s return to shareholders represented more than €15 billion in the form of dividends and share buybacks.
Solange Maulini then spotlighted UMG, the world leader in recorded music, recalling in particular the 22.6% increase in subscription and music streaming revenues in the third quarter of 2020, and the upcoming scheduled releases from its artists.
How live performance is reinventing itself
Jean-Louis Erneux, Vivendi’s Vice President, Press Relations and New Media and Vice President, Communications, Vivendi Village Communications, described the Group’s main businesses in area of live performance and its entertainment chain which includes talent management, concerts, shows, venues and ticket office.
He recalled the evolving and impacting regulations of the pandemic. Then he presented the evolution curves for the live performance activities, as well as the trends and forecasts for the sector.
Jean-Louis Erneux illustrated the ability of the Group’s entities to adapt to the current health situation through initiatives launched by the Olympia, the festivals business and CanalOlympia to reinvent live performance. He ended with a discussion with the Committee.
Presentation of the new website
Audrey Canellas, Digital Communication Manager, and Luis Ramos, Technical Project Manager, both members of Vivendi’s Communication Department, described for the Committee the new features of the Group’s recently launched corporate website (replacing the old one which dated back to 2012).
They explained the challenges of building the new site and the process and the collaborations implemented to make it a success, before describing its specific features, particularly those in the Shareholders section.
The Committee expressed its appreciation and congratulated the team.
