Bernard Tapie

"After which, unlike Bernard Tapie, François Pinault understands that if he wants to enter the big leagues, he will have to break with his past and buy himself a conduct. What took three generations in the 19th century is done in one life at the end of the 20th... He sidelines his former associates, moves away from the world of commercial courts, whitens himself by calling on Alain Mine for his advice, and Anne Méaux for his communication. On these new foundations, he will take over CFAO, SCOA, Conforama, Le Printemps, La Redoute, and FNAC. All exercises in high-flying, jumping from branch to branch between his different companies, to the great dismay of minority shareholders and relying on the generosity of Crédit Lyonnais..."

"There is also Pinault the business acquirer, who scours commercial courts for nearly twelve years, earning him the nickname "Bernard Tapie of wood." But he avoids appearing in the front line: four collaborators with a controversial reputation do the dirty work for him."

"Did you say transparency? Bernard Arnault will once again, on May 25, 2000, change the names of his head companies, an unusual practice in large listed groups and which Bernard Tapie, at his beginnings, had made a specialty of to confuse the former shareholders of the companies he took control of. On"

"• - The Ferinel group, with a turnover of one billion, a major real estate group from the North, specialized in leisure real estate and in the construction of individual houses. Bernard Arnault is already ahead thanks to the agreement that has just been signed with the brothers; • - The Prouvost group, with a turnover of 7 billion, led by Christian Derveloy, the leading European wool group, which benefits from the support of Georges Plescoff, who has already worked on this file at the request of IDI; • - The Bidermann group, with a turnover of 3.4 billion, led by Georges Jollès, who was, it must be remembered, for more than three months, the general manager of CBSF and who therefore knows the dossier perfectly; • - Bernard Tapie, with a turnover of 4 billion, who lets it be known that he is also a candidate to take over the business and announces having the support of banks and investors to close a round of funding, thanks especially to an Arab businessman and American banks."

"The refocused Ferinel group experiences rapid and fruitful development. This success encourages Bernard Arnault to find other playgrounds. He acquires Le Chasseur français which he will resell and which will earn him a dispute with Bernard Tapie. He attempts an incursion into fast food, without success. The arrival of the left in 1981 opened new horizons for him. Charmed by the idea of continuing to practice his profession in a broader and more open market, and discovering new ideas, he decided to go and establish a real estate development subsidiary in the United States himself."

"Although absent at the time of the presentation of the takeover offers for the group, Bernard Tapie does not admit defeat. At the SFFAW meeting held in Lille on May 24, 1985, he tries to turn the situation to his advantage. His advisor, Claude Colombani, representing a group of "ad hoc" small shareholders and with the hoped-for support of the president of La Belle Jardinière, who holds more than 18% of the capital of SFFAW, intends to oppose the resolutions proposed by Bernard Arnault. With a judicial sleight of hand, Hugues de Lasteyrie, the new general director of the group, manages to have him taken into custody for "attempted extortion of funds and signature," long enough to wrap up the meeting."