GEC Alsthom confirms plan to hire flotation PR

GEC Alsthom, the Anglo-French trains, turbines and

telecommunications group, is looking for a financial PR agency ahead of

its proposed pounds 4 billion flotation next spring.

Jean-Georges Micol, GEC Alsthom’s external communications director,

said: ’We will appoint somebody but not yet. We haven’t finalised a

shortlist.’

Micol added that he hadn’t finalised plans on the brief. The new company

will be listed on the Paris, London and New York stock exchanges but

Micol has yet to decide whether to appoint one agency to cover Paris and

London or to split the brief.

GEC Alsthom is jointly owned by GEC and French company Alcatel. It is

based in Paris but also has operating and manufacturing centres in the

UK.

Formed in 1989, GEC Alsthom is a leading player in power generation and

transmission and rail transportation. GEC and Alcatel will float off 52

per cent of GEC Alsthom, which will be renamed Alsthom.

In the past GEC Alsthom has used agencies including Brunswick for

financial PR and Market Access for lobbying advice on a project basis.

But following its placing in Paris and London it is likely to require

retained financial advice in the UK.