Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 28, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 28, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleItaly’s state-backed postal group Poste Italiane has formally requested a meeting with Telecom Italia’s board for CEO Matteo Del Fante to present its €10.8 billion cash-and-share offer to take TIM private, aiming to enhance digital services and national control through data‑centre and cybersecurity
By Elvira Pollina
MILAN, March 28 (Reuters) - Poste Italiane has asked the board of Telecom Italia (TIM) for a meeting where Chief Executive Matteo Del Fante could present the postal services group's 10.8 billion euro ($12 billion) cash-and-share bid for the former phone monopoly, two sources close to the matter said on Saturday.
State-backed conglomerate Poste last Sunday unveiled a bid to take TIM private and create a national digital champion, strengthening state control of assets that handle critical household and corporate data.
The offer had not been previously agreed with TIM.
The sources said Del Fante sent a letter to TIM's directors this week asking for an opportunity to illustrate the offer to the board.
Poste, which offers logistics, financial, payments, broadband and insurance services, has forecast 700 million euros in yearly benefits to earnings from the combination.
The deal would give Poste control of TIM's data‑centre network and its cybersecurity unit Telsy, expanding Poste's role in digital services directed at consumers, large companies, and government bodies.
TIM's directors will discuss Del Fante's request at a previously scheduled meeting on Sunday, the sources said, adding that the bid's presentation was then expected to take place in the coming weeks.
Poste and TIM declined to comment.
On Sunday, TIM's directors are also expected to pick advisers to help with the assessment of Poste's bid.
The TIM board is also expected decide the early termination of a long-term contract with tower company Inwit, mirroring a similar move by Swisscom's Fastweb, the sources said.
Poste is TIM's leading investor with 27% of its ordinary share capital, a stake that will fall close to 20% after TIM converts some special shares it has outstanding into ordinary stock in May.
($1 = 0.8690 euros)
(Editing by Valentina Za)
Poste Italiane is proposing a €10.8 billion cash-and-share bid to take Telecom Italia private and create a national digital champion.
Poste aims to strengthen state control over critical digital assets and expand its role in digital, financial, and cybersecurity services.
No, the bid had not been previously agreed with Telecom Italia before Poste requested a board meeting to present the offer.
If successful, Poste would control TIM's data-centre network and cybersecurity unit Telsy, increasing its reach in digital services.
The board will discuss Poste's request and choose advisers for the bid's assessment at a scheduled meeting on Sunday.
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