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.