PARIS (Reuters) – Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky and his partners are prepared to hire former Metro and Lactalis executive Philippe Palazzi as the new boss of French supermarket chain Casino, should their refinancing offer for the debt-laden company succeed, Les Echos reported on Sunday.
Kretinsky could not immediately be reached for comment outside working hours.
Palazzi did not immediately respond to a message sent via LinkedIn.
Casino’s management and court-appointed mediators have set a July 27 deadline to enter an agreement in principle on the terms of the financial restructuring.
Kretinsky’s offer is valid until Monday.
It faces a rivalling offer led by telecoms maverick Xavier Niel, investment banker Matthieu Pigasse and businessman Moez-Alexandre Zouari, which Casino said had also been extended to the same day.
(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
