PARIS (Reuters) - The French family-owned Dassault Group said on Thursday its shareholders have voted unanimously to appoint Charles Edelstenne as eventual successor to Serge Dassault, the 89-year-old son of the group's founder Marcel Dassault.
The statement came amid media reports of a succession struggle between family members over who would ultimately lead the holding company, which controls Dassault Aviation (PA:AVMD), and national newspaper Le Figaro as well as holding major stakes in Dassault Systemes (PA:DAST) and Thales (PA:TCFP) and smaller stakes in several other listed French businesses.
In a brief statement following an extraordinary shareholders' meeting, the holding company said that when required Charles Edelstenne "will automatically succeed Serge Dassault."
Edelstenne, 76, has been chairman of Dassault Systemes since 2002 and was chairman and chief executive of Dassault Aviation until January 2013.
The same statement said that the post of Olivier Dassault, one of Serge Dassault's four children, as the head of Dassualt Group's supervisory committee was renewed at the shareholders' meeting.
(Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva; Editing by Greg Mahlich)