Dear Alec
I’m in Europe but was sent a copy of your article. I fear that, while you often hit the nail on the head, you got this one wrong:
- Johann is a friend of mine.
- The reason we sold Nethold in 1997 was that the price bubble was building (the one that eventually popped early in 2000). We were offered by Jean-Marie Messier of Vivendi a very rich $2 billion, more than Nethold was really worth.
- We made a lot of money on the sale, which allowed us to then invest in the internet in various markets.
Feel free to publish this.
With best wishes,
Koos