Two people walk along Primrose Hill in London, with the BT Tower and the London Eye in the background, on March 24, 2022.
Justin Tallis
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The Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim took over 3% of the shares of the United Kingdom telecommunications group BT, of which the Frenchman Patrick Drahi is the largest shareholder, the British company itself announced.
Carlos Slim, one of the richest people in the world, acquired that stake, valued at around 400 million pounds ($511 million) through companies controlled by his family, according to the statement published by BT late in the day. Wednesday.
The Mexican businessman joins other billionaires among BT’s major investors, such as Frenchman Patrick Drahi, the largest shareholder, who has a stake of around 25%.
BT said that “we welcome any investor who recognizes the long-term value of our business,” according to statements reported this Thursday by the Financial Times.
Following Slim’s announcement of the purchase, BT shares rose 2.1% at the opening of the London Stock Exchange.
“The news that Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim has raised his stake to 3% in BT is causing a sensation in the market. The investment in itself is not very significant, but it potentially opens the door to interesting developments in the future,” he commented. Sophie Lund-Yates, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown
