, ▁but ▁not ▁before ▁he ▁was ▁paid ▁over ▁US $ 2 0 ▁million ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁sever ance ▁package . ▁The ▁company ▁reduced ▁its ▁st ake ▁in ▁Viv endi ▁En viron nement ▁to ▁ 4 0 % ▁and ▁sold ▁its ▁st ake ▁in ▁V inci ▁SA . ▁The ▁company ▁then ▁began ▁re organ izing ▁to ▁st ave ▁off ▁bank rupt cy , ▁announ cing ▁a ▁strategy ▁to ▁sell ▁non - str ateg ic ▁assets . ▁Its ▁largest ▁single ▁share holder ▁was ▁the ▁family ▁of ▁Ed gar ▁Bron f man ▁Jr ., ▁who ▁was ▁head ▁of ▁Se agram ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁mer ger . ▁Viv endi ▁sold ▁its ▁st ake ▁in ▁V izz avi ▁to ▁V od af one , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁V izz avi ▁France . ▁It ▁also ▁sold ▁ 2 0 . 4 % ▁of ▁Viv endi ▁En viron nement ' s ▁capital ▁to ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁invest ors , ▁and ▁its ▁st ake ▁in ▁North ▁American ▁satellite ▁operator ▁E cho Star ▁Communic ations ▁Corporation . ▁It ▁also ▁sold ▁its ▁European ▁book ▁publishing ▁to ▁Lag ard ère . ▁It ▁also ▁sold ▁H ought on ▁M if fl in ▁to ▁Thomas ▁H ▁Lee , ▁Black stone ▁and ▁B ain ▁cons ort ium ▁for ▁US $ 1 . 6 6 ▁billion . ▁Also ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁sold ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁and ▁Dutch ▁activities ▁of ▁its ▁subs idi ary ▁S co ot ▁Europe ▁to ▁Kap it ol , ▁the ▁parent ▁company ▁of ▁online