In April and may we have not seen improvement

Change, today, at the head of Nexans. At the end of the General Assembly, Frédéric Vincent must succeed Gerard Hauser to the position of President and CEO of the world's leading cables. A smooth, succession since Frédéric Vincent was already number two of the group, and Gerard Hauser remains administrator. The new CEO, has however, take advantage of this change to boost the expansion of the former subsidiary of Alcatel.

Your appointment as President and CEO will take effect today at the end of the General Assembly. Will this change in pattern change anything

There is no revolution, since I was associated with the strategy of Nexans since 2001. But I intend to accelerate in three areas: I want to further improve our industrial excellence throughout the world, strengthen our attention to the client, and push the development of the group, including through targeted acquisitions. These priorities to be better identified, I just created a Steering Committee that I will be chairing and three Deputy Executive Directors will meet: a "Mr. business" (Pascal Portevin), a "Mr. industry" (Yvon Raak) and the administrative and financial manager (Frederic Michelland).

You talk about acquisitions. With the crisis, is this the time

The difficulty at this time is driving both the brake and the accelerator. It must obviously be vigilant on costs, investments, etc. But it cannot stop a strategy with the situation. The cable market has not finished its consolidation. In China, in Russia, the Middle East, there are regional actors, companies from 500 to 800 million of turnover, which do not always have the means to invest and prefer to lean to a more powerful group. So there are opportunities to be seized, as long as prices remain reasonable.

In 2003, you had considered purchasing T & D, the former Alstom subsidiary specializing in high-voltage lines. At present, the folder is on the market. Are you interested

This would have been a beautiful operation in 2003. Today, with a price of 3 to 5 billion euros, it is beyond our reach.

Do you need to raise funds, find new shareholders

We have a strong balance sheet and the means to pursue our growth without raising funds. In regards to our capital, the presence of a, two or three reference shareholders would not be a bad thing. Today, we have a stable shareholder, the Chilean Madeco, which has 9 of the titles. But cannot not constantly live with a very volatile ownership. We are looking for so few investors who have long term logic.

Manufacturer of cables, you rely on in part of the building and automotive sectors in crisis. Do you see the end of the tunnel

In the first quarter, our turnover has fallen by 17 on a constant structure and exchange rates. In April and may, we have not seen improvement. It is always also poor. Prices are good. These are the volumes that fall, in part due to the removal of our customers. The building and automotive make us suffer, but also the traditional industry, the German machine, for example, hit by the decline in investment in industrial. Throughout the year, our turnover risk fall of 5 to 10. We remain mobilized around our 6 operating margin, compared with 8.9 internal annual goal last year, but we really need to fight!

Last year, before the crisis, had put up for sale your motor cables (4,000 employees), and then abandoned, in view of the prizes, that you thought was too weak. You regret it

Yes, I regret not having sold our activities of cables and harnesses for the automotive industry located in Romania and Czech Republic at the proposed price, because today, it is an activity in which we are truly the penalty. We are restructuring. Of the 1.060 positions that we need to delete in the group, 500 are in this branch. Overall, the crisis brings us to accelerate our restructuring actions. We will make in a year which would be spread over two years.

End of January, the European Commission has searched your premises as part of an investigation into a possible cartel. CM - CIC analysts estimate the financial risk to 260 million euros after tax. What do you think

This high voltage market survey will last two to three years. We respond to the requests of the authorities concerned, but you will understand that we cannot comment on proceedings during the trial. This inquiry is without prejudice to the final decision will be made by the Commission.

More generally, I I have issues when I see the Commission imposed on the European industry of the fines to a more high level, without any respect for the rights of the defence is always perfectly maintained. Who benefits This is not the consumer, but often the industry not European. Liberalism, competition, it is. But be careful not to take a bullet in the foot!