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Mediaset appoints Berlusconi's son as CEO

Reuters - UK Focus

(Adds statement confirming appointment)

By Paolo Biondi and Danilo Masoni

ROME/MILAN, April 30 (Reuters) - Italy's biggest commercial broadcaster Mediaset (Other OTC: MDIEF - news) appointed Pier Silvio Berlusconi as chief executive of his family's business on Thursday, to steer the company through a fast-consolidating media industry.

The 46-year-old son of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will replace long-standing CEO Giuliano Adreani, the company said in a statement. Pier Silvio will remain deputy chairman of Mediaset, which has been at the centre of speculation about a possible deal with Vivendi (Swiss: VIV.SW - news) .

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Cash-rich French media group Vivendi and Rupert Murdoch's Sky (Other OTC: BSYBF - news) could be interested in Berlusconi's television assets, which include pay-tv unit Mediaset Premium.

The convergence of media and telecoms could boost the appeal of Mediaset as an asset for Vivendi, which is set to become the largest investor in Italian phone group Telecom Italia (Other OTC: TIAJF - news) .

Pier Silvio Berlusconi denied on Wednesday that his family's 33.4 percent stake in Mediaset was up for sale

But his 78-year-old father, who has begun to step back from frontline politics, is increasingly seen as preparing a sale of parts of his empire.

The Italian billionaire met Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol on Wednesday to discuss the sale of a stake in Serie A soccer club AC Milan, which he has owned for almost 30 years.

The future of Mediaset has become the focus of attention since the Berlusconi family holding company Fininvest in February sold an 8 percent stake on the market.

Adreani, 72, who has headed Mediaset since 1996, will take the role of chairman of Mediaset's Italian advertising unit and support Pier Silvio Berlsuconi "in the definition of the group's strategic positioning in the advertising market and commercial relationship with key clients", the statement said. (Writing by Danilo Masoni, additional reporting by Claudia Cristoferi; Editing by Jane Merriman and Elaine Hardcastle)