We will then develop Meetic on smartphone

The founder of Meetic, which owns 23 of the capital and 36 of the voting rights, and its partner IAC (the Group of Barry Diller, who holds Match, 27 of Meetic shareholder) had appointed Messier Partners to find a purchaser for the dating site, valued around 500 million euros. But the four offers received were not satisfied. Marc Simoncini event therefore and presents a three-year development plan.

That is you grows, today, to renounce this assignment

We discussed with four potential buyers, including three foreigners. But no offer reflected the development potential of Meetic. We we suspected that Meetic was too large to be bought by a French actor, we realized that we also may be too large to be redeemed by a European player.

And an American

This is probably not the right time. Some hand and even if we are number one in Europe, Meetic has perhaps not yet the size to interest a player in the global ambitions. We will implement our new three year development plan. We be able to reach a turnover of EUR 300 million. Of course, I will be alert to the opportunities which could arise in the coming months.

From which emanated the offers

We have discussed with people who make the same trade that we, with funds, telecom operators, media groups. We have received no serious French offer...

Are you on the same wavelength as Barry Diller

Yes, absolutely, he shares our development goals. He also believes that, in these conditions, this is not the right time to sell Meetic. IAC knows very well that trade, "dating" weighs pretty heavy in the IAC group. The CEO of game also has been named head of IAC.

What are the main focus of development

First, we will continue to develop Affinity Meetic, a website which has 5 million euros of turnover in 2008, 25 million in 2009 and which will probably be the largest site of "matchmaking" (meetings by affinities, Editor's note) in Europe in 2011, a market valued at more than 350 million euros in the world. We will then develop Meetic on "smartphone".

At the end of the first quarter of 2011, we have released all mobile applications of Meetic, iPhone, Android, Nokia, Windows Phone 7, etc. Finally, we will consolidate our positions on the European market. We are today the only European player able to redeem the competitors that may be for sale.

What are your objectives in terms of customers

Today, Meetic has just under 1 million customers. To achieve the goal of sales that we fixed, it would take about 40 of customers. But everything obviously depends on the "mix" between new customers "smartphone", where the Arpu (average revenue per customer, Editor's note) will be lower, and the new customers of the "matchmaking", which records a higher Arpu.

On the mobile, can't you late

We are already making about WAP billing EUR 10 million, which represents 4 million euros of turnover, over 130,000 subscribers. But with an improved service, "smartphone", people are probably willing to spend more. Between 4 euros per month, for WAP access and 30 euros per month on the Internet there is room for an intermediate pricing on mobile, around 15 euros per month. For us, it is a real change of economic model. But he first had a broad base of users of "smartphones".

What means have you for possible acquisitions

We have 28 million euros of cash at September 30, at the end of the year we should have around 40 million euros and we still have no debts. If we borrow from height of twice the base, this means that we would have 120 million euros, more pay securities. Potentially, we can buy any of our European competitors.

What position see you now in Meetic

I've dropped the operational for several months already. I remain CEO and I retain the strategic direction; Moreover, I perfectly trust by Philippe Chainieux, CEO, and the team of Meetic to unfurl our plan to three years.

You share your time between Meetic and your investment fund, Jaina Capital. New investments are to be expected in the coming weeks

Yes, but we will probably change our strategy. We have made a dozen investment so far. Our goal now is to focus on some of the companies in which we are majority.

Are you going to invest in "The Forum"

No, should reinvent a model for the press and I do me in direction not capable. Invest in a "pure player", why not We already have with Owni or Atlantico, but move the paper to the Web, that sounds complicated.

Find the full interview on lesechos.frlesechos.fr