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Opinion
Alex Webb

Fighting Billionaires Need to Back Off in Italy

Telecom Italia’s CEO is doing okay. Bollore and Singer should let him get on with it.

It's France versus New York in this Milan telecoms battle.

It's France versus New York in this Milan telecoms battle.

Photographer: Federico Bernini/Bloomberg

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Even amid the distraction of open conflict between his two biggest investors, Telecom Italia SpA CEO Amos Genish is somehow managing to keep the carrier on track to meet his turnaround plans.

It’s a healthy reminder to Vivendi SA and activist fund Elliott Management Corp. to temper their more combative instincts and let the respected telecoms executive get on with the job. This applies just as much to Paul Singer’s hedge fund as it does to Vincent Bollore’s French media conglomerate.