After a court decision in his favor, Arnaud Lagardère takes over the leadership of the group in his name

Two months after being forced by the courts to leave the head of the group in his name, Arnaud Lagardère became its CEO again on Friday thanks to a legal decision in his favor. This return was made possible by “the partial lifting of the management ban measure which had been pronounced” against Arnaud Lagardère, the group indicated in a press release.

The 63-year-old executive had relinquished his executive mandates, including that of CEO, on April 30 after being indicted as part of investigations into the financing of personal expenses by his companies. His lawyers, Sébastien Schapira and Dimitri Grémont, had appealed, which resulted in this court decision in his favor. His indictment nevertheless remains effective elsewhere.

Thanks to the “Bolloré family”

This decision authorizes him to “manage Lagardère SA”, confirmed a judicial source. Consequently, the Lagardère board of directors met on Friday and “unanimously designated” Arnaud Lagardère as CEO, the group indicated in its press release. A board of directors at Hachette Livre, the leading publisher in France, is also due to meet “very soon” to reinstall Arnaud Lagardère as CEO.

Alleged facts dating back to 2009

Arnaud Lagardère was indicted on April 29 after a day of questioning by financial investigating judges. He was heard in a judicial investigation opened by the national financial prosecutor’s office (PNF) in April 2021, for alleged acts committed between April 2009 and December 2022.

The businessman is suspected of having “financed his lifestyle and personal expenses by drawing on funds from the companies Lagardère SAS and Lagardère” (LCM), a judicial source indicated at the time of the indictment.