Kretinsky and Layani face off in battle for distressed IT firm Atos

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Atos is pictured at the Eurosatory international defence and security exhibition in Villepinte, near Paris, France June 13, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - The battle for debt-laden IT consulting firm Atos pits Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky against French businessman David Layani, indicative offers, presenting widely different tactics to strengthen the company's finances, showed on Monday.

Once a flagship technology company included in the French bluechip CAC-40 share index, Atos grew quickly through acquisitions but later made strategic mistakes against a backdrop of unstable governance, sending its shares down by more than 90% over the last three years.