Telecom Italia CEO backed by board and Vivendi chairman-board member

People walk past a Telecom Italia phone booth in Rome August 28, 2014. REUTERS/Max Rossi

MILAN (Reuters) - The chief executive of Telecom Italia Marco Patuano has the full support of the board as well as that of the head of its main shareholder Vivendi, a Telecom Italia board member said on Wednesday. Vivendi, whose chairman and top investor is influential French businessman Vincent Bollore, has gradually built up a 20.116 percent stake in Telecom Italia to become its largest shareholder. "I believe Patuano has the backing of all the board and also that of Bollore," Tarak Ben Ammar said leaving after a board meeting. Press reports have recently said the position of Patuano was hanging in the balance after alleged disagreements with Chairman Giuseppe Recchi. (Reporting by Stefano Rebaudo, writing by Stephen Jewkes)