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Takeover of Virgin Group: final agreement

Category

Corporate & other activities, Finance, Lagardère Travel Retail

Paris, February 28, 2008

Following heads of agreement signed in December 2007, the Lagardère Group and Butler Capital Partners announce the signature of final agreements on a majority takeover of Virgin Group by Butler Capital Partners.

Virgin Group is a market leader in France in the distribution of cultural and entertainment products.
With consolidated sales of around 400 million euros and 1,900 employees, the group has 47 downtown sites and shopping malls, of which 35 trade under the Virgin banner and a dozen under the Furet du Nord banner. The group, which holds a perpetual license for certain European territories including France, operates about 10 franchises internationally, representing sales of around 100 million euros. The group also operates France’s no.2 music and video download platform, VirginMega.

Butler Capital Partners has over the last 15 years been building up considerable experience of the French industrial and business environment. Working with a variety of business sectors, Butler Capital Partners have in recent years invested, inter alia, in Atys (world leader in the preparation of fresh fruit), Flo (French leader in catering), César (world leader in party ware), Abrium (security equipment distribution), Giraud International (international transport), PSG (football club), Sernam (goods transport), Accès industrie (elevator pod hire), and SNCM (marine transport).

The Lagardère Group is a market leader in the media sector (books, press, audiovisual, distribution of cultural and
entertainment products, and sports rights). The Group also has interests in the high technology sector via a
12.51% stake in EADS.
Lagardère shares are listed in Paris on Eurolist by Euronext – Compartment A.

Lagardère SCA:

Press Contacts
Thierry Funck-Brentano - tel. +33 (0)1 40 69 16 34 - tfb@lagardere.fr
Ramzi Khiroun - tel. +33 (0)1 40 69 16 33 - rk@lagardere.fr

Investor Relations Contact
Laurent Carozzi - tel. +33 (0)1 40 69 18 02 - lcarozzi@lagardere.fr

Lagardère Services :

Jean-Louis Nachury - tel.: +33 (0)1 42 99 07 10

François Gues - tel.: +33 (0)1 42 99 07 10

Butler Capital Partners:

Image 7 Press Contacts
Grégoire Lucas - tel.: +33 (0)1 53 70 74 94 - glucas@image7.fr
Constance Giscard d’Estaing - tel.: +33 (0)1 53 70 74 54 - cge@image7.fr

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