• December 2, 2005

David Verklin, CEO of Carat Americas, and a member of the board of parent Aegis Group, Thursday said the media services holding company would prefer to remain independent, despite French financier Vincent Bollore's creeping takeover of the U.K.-based company. Verklin told attendees at a Reuters Media and Advertising Summit in New York that he saw "no value" in a takeover of Aegis that would merge it with another advertising services company. Both WPP Group and Publicis Group have made takeover overtures that have either been rejected or withdrawn since Bollore began accumulating Aegis shares. Bollore, who also controls Paris-based rival Havas, now controls more than 25 percent of Aegis stock, has veto power over an Aegis deal, and is expected to announce a new strategic plan for Havas soon. Under European law, he is permitted to raise his ownership of Aegis stock to just under 30 percent before he is required to launch a formal acquisition. -- Joe Mandese