Vincent Bolloré

Corporate raider known for snapping up large stakes in distressed companies. Got start as a bank trainee at Edmond de Rothschild. Has targeted advertising companies: built up a stake in French agency Havas, demanded board seats, gutted management and made himself chairman. Also has shares in Aegis Group, the British media and market research concern. Eclectic portfolio includes African shipping, Asian palm-oil plantations, plastics. Group is developing an electric car called the BlueCar. Hosted close friend French President Sarkozy on his yacht for a post-election holiday off Malta in 2007. Has a collection of 1,000 comic books. Non-family investors are right to wonder whether the Bollore Group remains the audacious, deal-making gravy train they signed up for. Bollore's holding company has been flattered by the performance of its 20.5 percent stake in Vivendi. Stripping out the Vivendi stake, its revenue in 2017 fell 6.5 percent and net income fell 5.8 percent. Now his historic family business in Africa is at the heart of a probe into corruption allegations. The ability of one of France's richest men to make deals and carry investors along looks constrained.