Earlier this week, it was suggested that Bollore could negotiate to sell his 15% stake in Havas to rival Publicis leading to a takeover bid, which would unite the two French advertising holding companies.
Sources close to Bollore said that Publicis was interested in taking Bollore Group's 15% stake in Havas as part of a move to ensure it stays in French hands.
Speculation that Havas could be taken over has been increasing ever since the company lost out in the battle for Grey Global Group to WPP Group.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Levy says today his friendship with Bollore did not indicate any bid was in the offing.
"People in Paris will tell you that I know everyone. It doesn't signal anything," Levy told the paper.
Despite downplaying a bid for Havas, Levy, who has shown his global ambitions with acquisitions that have swollen the French firm with takeovers of Saatchi & Saatchi and Leo Burnett, did not rule a bid out.
However, he said that the jump in Havas' share price recently, following Bollore's share buy-up, had dampened some of his fervour for a deal.
"If you look at the multiples, they are well above the range they should be. The status quo suits us very well," he told the FT.
Earlier this month in an interview with French business magazine La Vie Financiere, Levy said: "As far as I know, the group is not for sale. If it were the case one day, we would of course look at the matter."
But with Havas' prize asset of the Media Planning Group at stake, Publicis would almost certainly find itself battling against WPP Group in any such deal.
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