Qatar Holding, the investment arm of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, is looking to increase its stake in French media group Lagardere, according to a statement issued to the French stock market regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF).

Qatar Holding is not looking to take a majority shareholding, but it is in talks to consider potential partnerships and it plans to request a seat on Largardere’s supervisory board.

It increased its shareholding to 10.7 per cent in Lagardere with 7.87 per cent of the company’s voting shares, according to a statement issued on 29 December on the AMF website. At the end of 2010, Qatar Holding had a 7.6 per cent stake in Lagardere, according to the annual end-year report.

Lagardere controls a 7.5 per cent of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, a stake that analysts feel is the motivation behind Qatar Holding’s plans to increase its shares in Lagardere.