CNBC-TV18 embarked yet again on unplugged conversations with top leaders across industries with Marquee Nights. The event held at Masala Bay, Taj Lands End, Mumbai, on 21st November’22, featured Yannick Bolloré, Chairman, Vivendi and Chairman & CEO, Havas Group, in an exclusive conversation with CNBC-TV18’s Anuradha SenGupta.
The discussion revolved around Vivendi and Havas Groups’ spectrum of stronghold over cinema, television, publishing, gaming, advertising, and even Metaverse.
Commenting on the importance of India as one of the fastest growing Asian economies, Bolloré said, “Growth opportunities in India are immense, which is why the country is a top priority for Vivendi. China has slowed down its growth strategy now, which is good for India in terms of talents and manufacturers. As of now, we have a 1200-people workforce in India, and hope to reach the 1500 mark before spring.”
Harping on the collaborative spirit of the Havas village group that commenced 8 years ago, Bolloré instilled inter-team collaboration and cultural specificity at the forefront, helping the brand expand its focus on content, data, brand’s future, teamwork, and recommendations to prospective employees.
He also discussed the prospects of Vivendi’s premium video content distribution platform, Dailymotion, in a price-sensitive market such as, India. “We became premium five years back because of a flurry of user-generated content creating unsafe environment. Now, the environment is safe. We have a strong presence in India. There is going to be a new version of Dailymotion to be launched in March 2023. It will be about freedom of speech, but in a safe and positive environment,” he said.
When asked about the shifting strategies of Gameloft as a mobile game pioneer, the CEO remarked that the high-quality mobile games by the brand have been giving a strong impetus to the steady year-on-year growth of Gameloft since the last 15 years. Bolloré added that with behemoths such as Netflix and other OTT platforms showing interest in video games, Gameloft has a bright future in the mobile gaming vertical.
On that note, he added that Vivendi’s OTT streaming service, Canal, has gone overseas with 70% of its subscribers hailing from outside France. “High-quality entertainment is the foundation of Canal Group. People are willing to pay for high-quality content because 83% of the respondents of our research reveal that global entertainment is a vital need. It shapes culture. So, we need to strike a balance between subscription and advertising to maintain local, cultural specificity, and become a future game-changer in entertainment.”
The ‘CNBC-TV18 Marquee Nights’ event saw in attendance over 100 top Indian and global CMOs and CEOs from across sectors comprising of technology, consumer products, media & entertainment, banking, and e-commerce, amongst others.
The event was organized in partnership with Vivendi, Havas Group and IFCCI (Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
Smriti Mehra, CEO – Business News, Network18, said, “CNBC-TV18 Marquee Nights offers glimpses of the previously unseen side of the top entrepreneurs, global icons, policymakers, business promoters and trendsetters across various sectors – where we see them engage in candid conversations.The event with Yannick Bolloré, who brought in thought-provoking insights about the future of media and entertainment, won immense appreciation from the audience in attendance. Bolloré’s keen interest in Indian entertainment diaspora has signaled the immense growth opportunities the country has as a rising economic superpower. We endeavor to bring in more such insightful discussions on CNBC-TV18 Marquee Nights.”
