David Dautresme
Strategic Concepts & Mechanics
Primary Evidence
"It is better to deal with God than with his saints. The Moët-Hennessy clan reacts like Chevalier: since Racamier opened the door to Arnault, they might as well deal directly with him! A royal path thus opens up before the boss of Financière Agache. Especially since David Dautresme recovers 12% of the capital of LVMH, just by making a few phone calls. These securities are, in fact, in the hands of the six investors to whom the OBSA issued by Moët-Hennessy in 1987 had been placed. Since then, these securities have discreetly remained parked in these six parking lots: UAP, Caisse des dépôts, Crédit agricole, Worms Bank, BNP and... Lazard, lead manager of the operation. Dautresme is thus negotiating with these establishments the conditions for the sale of these OBSA to Bernard Arnault. But the sellers must not appear, as it was stipulated that these securities had to be placed in the general public. Also, once the terms of the transaction are agreed upon, they will be invited to go through a discreet Belgian-Luxembourg intermediary, Belmavobel International Securities."
"The threat of a raid is becoming increasingly clear. Alain Chevalier and Jean-Louis Masurel call on Bruno Roger for help. Together, they reflect on different means of deterrence and decide on an issuance of bonds with subscription warrants for shares (OBSA) on the eurofranc market. Shareholders waive their preferential subscription rights in favor of potential foreign investors whose names they don't even seek to know. The issuance is launched in mid-March 1987 under the direction of David Dautresme, managing partner of Lazard. The bank on Boulevard Haussmann takes the lead of the banking pool which includes Crédit Lyonnais, BNP, and Crédit Suisse-First Boston. Each bond, worth 10,000 francs, is accompanied by 18 warrants allowing subscription to Moët-Hennessy shares at 2,720 francs until April 1990. The bonds and warrants are listed separately. In total, the operation ultimately yields nearly 4 billion francs and potentially represents 18% of the group's capital."
"The main managing partners are Jean-Claude Haas, close to the industrialist Jérôme Seydoux, François Polge de Combret, former deputy secretary general of the Elysée under Giscard, Hubert Heilbronn, David Dautresme, Christian de Labriffe, close to Bernard Arnault, or Hélie de Pourtalès, in charge of the international department and government advisory, and as such, "adviser to the central committee of the Soviet Communist Party"...,"