Just days after Veolia finally struck a deal to buy arch-rival Suez, Antoine Frérot feels relaxed enough to describe himself in Machiavellian terms.

“Machiavelli said that he who wants the end, accepts the means. I am rational like Machiavelli,” the Veolia boss told the 'Financial Times'.

But, ironic comments aside, Frérot rejects the idea – both around Suez and more broadly in Paris – that he was too aggressive in the fight to seize his company's competitor in the field of electricity. water and waste.

“Machiavelli said that he who wants the end, accepts the means. I am rational like Machiavelli”

“There is no question of morality in what happened. There were just two incompatible goals,” he said. “In the face of duplicity…I am direct. I fight back with what I call firmness, not violence.”

The battle ended in a very Parisian way: in the luxury Hotel Bristol, after a three-star chef provided room service.

Across the table from Frérot is Philippe Varin, president of Suez and a veteran and seasoned servant of the state. At their side, a member of the board of directors of each party, an observer appointed by the court and Gérard Mestrallet, the former boss of Suez called for mediation.

Firmness or violence?

The French state, which had already tried unsuccessfully to put an end to the struggle, was not present. According to people familiar with the situation, Mr. Frérot insisted that the general manager of Suez, Bertrand Camus, not be [...]