Patrick Drahi sells SFR billionaire telecom empire Morocco

Born in Morocco in August 1963 to parents who were mathematics professors, Patrick Drahi left Casablanca at age fifteen to settle in France. This Polytechnique graduate began his career in the cable sector before founding his own company. Discreet, he rapidly built an international-scale group by multiplying acquisitions, systematically financing his operations through heavy borrowing guaranteed by the future revenues of his targets.

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The pinnacle of his French rise, the acquisition of SFR twelve years ago, could soon come to an end. Parent company Altice France is actively discussing the sale of this operator with Bouygues Telecom, Orange and Iliad. The operation, whose exclusive negotiations were postponed to Friday, is valued at over 20 billion euros. Such a sale would ease the pressure on this telecommunications magnate, ranked 19th national fortune in 2025 by Challenges magazine.

The debt-acquisition mechanism, a true trademark of the entrepreneur, has seized up in the face of the recent rise in interest rates. This complex economic context forced the group into drastic austerity measures, leading to the sale of flagship entities like BFMTV and RMC. In parallel, the arrest in Portugal of his longtime collaborator Armando Pereira on corruption suspicions deeply shook the stability of his organization in 2023.

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Despite this strategic retreat, the sexagenarian’s empire endures. He who once saved the daily newspaper Libération from bankruptcy, described as highly organized and serene by his collaborators to AFP, retains significant assets. Beyond the famous Sotheby’s auction house, the businessman maintains a strong presence in the media landscape in Israel, his place of residence, through his i24 News channel and recent investments in Reshet 13 capital.