This is a turning point in the war that has been opposing Suez and Veolia, the French flagships in water and waste treatment since the end of August.
For the first time since October 5, when Veolia bought 29.9% of Suez from Engie, Philippe Varin, the president of Suez, is finally opening the door to negotiations.
Read also:
The Suez board is finally studying the takeover bid from Veolia ... and rejects it
Despite months of legal battles and the search for a white knight, Suez could neither prevent Veolia from filing its takeover bid, nor find a white knight.
This weekend, the two groups engaged in a new pass of arms, Veolia accusing the leaders of Suez of
"duplicity"
and the latter calling their rival
"to restraint and calm"
.
If they had been demanding for weeks the opening of negotiations with Veolia, it was on the basis of a hypothetical alternative project led by the consortium of Ardian and GIP funds.
However, Veolia only wants to negotiate its proposed takeover bid.
In an interview with
Figaro
, Philippe Varin, the president of Suez, takes a big step: the board of directors
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