About Lagardere

Values

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Information circulates at a rapid rate in our society and events quickly disappear off the horizon. It’s not always easy to bear in mind that the business world also needs to aim towards consistency over the long term. A company’s success is not founded on one-off achievements, but on sustainable activity. This sustainable approach is based on something beyond the economic environment - it draws its strength from identity.

A company differentiates itself by holding to a set of values. These values enable it to assert itself more effectively. Lagardère’s values, in addition to the quality of its business culture, rest on two pillars - its rich and varied history and the talent of the people who embody it, both now and in the past.

 

Creativity and boldness

Ideas make all the difference in the business world. They are a source of both innovation and competitive advantage. Lagardère’s products and brands are often forerunners in their fields. The success of the Renault Espace, developed by Matra and championed by Jean-Luc Lagardère, was the trailblazer of the monospace concept. The emergence of the European space and aerospace industries, with its early satellites, developments in launch facilities and, more recently, the unveiling of the new A380 are adventures to which the Group has made a contribution.
In 1945, Elle was one of the first women’s magazines of its time. Editions of the magazine are now published in more than thirty countries. In 1852, Louis Hachette opened the first bookstores in train stations. These have grown to become the Relay store chain, operating from 1,100 retail outlets in 16 countries and serving one million travellers a day.
More recently, the Group achieved the distinction of positioning itself as a leader in the digital sector with the creation of websites for a number of its titles, the launch of a digital kiosk that enables customers to download print media titles, and the development of the on-line download site VirginMega.fr, all underlining two key factors: the Group’s capacity for constant innovation and its desire to foster and promote its ideas.

Independence

The media represents Lagardère’s core business. The company is also present in the high-tech sector, as illustrated by its 14.98% strategic interest in the European aerospace consortium, EADS. The media and aerospace industries fall within the scope of national sovereignty, which requires the Group to assume certain responsibilities and to take the political dimension of its activities into consideration, without ever compromising its independence of action.
This imperative, combined with the family nature of its capital structure, has made independence a key value for Lagardère. Managed from a long-term perspective, the Group is constantly aware of the need to remain free from political, economic and financial pressure. It rejects development based on short-term trends influenced by the latest fashionable ideas. It is able to defend its own interests and forge its own path with total legitimacy. Lagardère’s autonomous employees illustrate this requirement on a daily basis: although the expertise of each is recognized in their respective fields, they all belong to the same company and share the same identity and values.