Lagardère Group
The network's financial problems would worsen after Lagardère took control, and La Cinq ultimately ceased operations on 12 April 1992 (it would be replaced by France 5 in late 1994).A strategic agreement signed in 2000 by Lagardère and Deutsche Telekom to provide Internet service led to the merger of T-Online and Club-Internet.In 1995, Hachette acquired UCS, Canada's leading newsstand chain,[13] and became the third largest operator in the international retail press trade.In 2000, Hachette Distribution Services created Relay, an international brand specializing in selling media products at public points of sale.After antitrust review, Lagardère kept 40% of the company, including the imprints Larousse, Dalloz, Dunod, Nathan, Armand Colin and Sedes, as well as the Spanish division Grupo Anaya.Lagardère also became the new franchisee of the Croix-Catelan (Bois de Boulogne, Paris) and the Rue Eblé sports and recreation sites, for a twenty-year period.[17] On March 28, 2011, Lagardère SCA signed a contract to sell its international magazine business, totaling 102 titles, to Hearst Corporation for €651 million.[18] The transaction included a Master License Agreement (MLA) relating to the ELLE trademark in the 15 countries affected by the transfer, in return for which the Group would receive an annual recurring royalty payment.In 2019, Lagardère finalised the sale of most of the magazine publishing titles in France,[20][21] the TV businesses,[22] the stake in Mezzo[23] and Disney Hachette Presse.[45] Until 30 June 2021, the management structure of Lagardère reflects its status as a société en commandite par actions (partnership limited by shares): the firm is led by general and managing partner Arnaud Lagardère,[46][47] who heads an executive committee comprising two co-managing partners (Pierre Leroy and Thierry Funck-Brentano), spokesperson and chief of external relations Ramzi Khiroun and chief financial officer Sophie Stabile.In 2015, Lagardère Travel Retail acquired The Paradies Shops in North America, signing the agreement in August[57] and completing the acquisition in October.Lagardère Radio: Europe 1, Europe 2, RFM Lagardère Live Entertainment: venue operation and management (the Folies Bergère, Casino de Paris, Arkéa Arena, Arena du Pays d'Aix), production of concerts and live shows, hosting and local promotional services for French and international productions.Each year, the Foundation awards grants to gifted young people with bold, creative projects in the culture and media world.It has rewarded young film producers like Carole Scotta (founder of Haut et Court movie company), scriptwriters like Phil Ox (who became a producer in France and England), novel writers like Agnes Desarthe, photographers like Emily Buzin and Tiane Doan Na Champassak and journalists like Stephane Edelson (who wrote in 1993 about the economist and banker Muhammad Yunus and the influence of his work on the empowerment of women).