Ubisoft's Guillemot family acquires larger stake in company
Attempts to thwart Vivendi takeover ongoing as founders now own 13.6% of shares, 20% of voting rights
Ubisoft's efforts to stave off a potential takeover by Vivendi are continuing apace. Reuters today reported that Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family has continued acquiring shares in the Assassin's Creed publisher.
Citing a filing with the AMF stock market regulator, the news service said the Guillemots now hold 13.6% of Ubisoft shares, and control 20.02% of voting rights. A year ago, the family held about 9% of Ubisoft share capital.
The Guillemots still need plenty of allies among Ubisoft's shareholder base, as Vivendi holds 27% of Ubisoft's share capital and 24.5% of voting rights.
The former parent company of Activision Blizzard has been accumulating shares in Ubisoft for years, beginning with an October 2015 acquisition of 6.6% of the company's stock. At the time, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot called the purchase "unsolicited and unwelcome," and has been working to maintain the company's independence since.