A week after Publicis was reported to be in preliminary talks with Aegis - one of the last remaining independent media groups and owner of Europe's largest media buying agency Carat - about a possible takeover, French billionaire Vincent Bollore has upped his stake in the company, reports the Guardian Unlimited (via MediaBuyerPlanner). Bollore now owns 8.04 percent of Aegis, after adding 18 million shares to the 6 percent stake he acquired last month.

While Bollore gained control of Havas in a "boardroom coup" with a 22 percent stake, some analysts question whether he will have the resources to mount a similar takeover of Aegis, which could be valued at as much as 1.67 billion pounds.

Robert Lerwill, the Aegis boss, said that Bollore's increasing stake in the company was strictly a financial investment.