But the tension is to look for in figures

Bis ASM place... In early September, on the eve of an important supervisory board, the rumor is formal: Jean-Paul Béchat will be removed from his post as President of the Executive Board of Safran, on a background of war power with the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Mario Colaiacovo. Two and a half months later, while looms the next Council of 12 December, the individual is always, always gives the fronde "from", alternates names circulate, which does not preclude display the same "serenity". "Many people would like my position." There is a small set of prognosis. "I do not say to you that it is comfortable for me, but it does not prevent us from working," he says in "echoes".

Planned for a long time to deal with the budget 2007 including, the next Council looks so "normal", like that of September ". Does. Eviction in early November, by a vote of press release, the patron of the domestic defence and security, Jacques Paccard, very clearly revived tensions and accusations of witch-hunt at the head of the group, born of the merger between Snecma and Sagem. To explain this dismissal, Jean-Paul Béchat puts forward the losses of the first half. "I won't say you that there is no tension." But the tension is to look for in figures (...). "One wonders if the Commander of the ship not took it on the reef", is the President of the Executive Board of Safran. And rebut any "difference strategy".

Meeting beginning December

It is this explanation that Jacques Paccard put forward to explain his eviction. In summary, it says have rise earlier this year a reflection on the strategy of Saffron, to take advantage of all possible synergies between the company Sagem Défense Sécurité Sagem DS (principal company of the domestic defence and security) and other entities of the group. Even if partnerships for "change of scale" in some areas, such as drones and missiles. "It was out of the logic of monoproduit, monoclient companies, such as the wants Jean-Paul Béchat." "The response has been: are still there", says Jacques Paccard. Evidence, he says, the Executive Board asked him in May to study separation of defence and security of Sagem DS into two separate subsidiaries.

Reflection on the reconstruction of the perimeter of Sagem DS, that Jean-Paul Béchat belies not, finally was referred to later. "Between the aviation equipment, weapons or security, there are a lot of very different activities from other in Sagem DS." "The problem is that we went in the wall," he said. The positioning of the Group on the market for the modernization of the Mirage have also exacerbated tensions between the two men...

It is in this context that some ex-Sagem employees shareholders claiming to represent 15 of capital ("Les Echos" from November 24) have the firm intention to obtain the departure of two enemies of Safran. "Mario Colaiacovo has assured me that he was ready to go if Jean-Paul Béchat is similarly", provides Daniel Dupuy, a veteran of Sagem DS, presenting himself as a spokesman for the Group of shareholders. Meanwhile, after several solutions November 8 for the evolution of the Executive Board which includes more than two members, the Committee on the appointment of the Supervisory Board plans to reconvene early December. But as the key to the problem lies in Bercy (the State is the first shareholder with 31 of the capital), it is likely that the decisions of the next Council would be taken to endorse will be taken outside the official structures of governance, commented on close source.