Berlusconi wants to buy stake in Generali - report

MILAN - Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is interested in buying a stake in Assicurazioni Generali SpA, the daily La Repubblica said without giving a source.

The move would enable Berlusconi to take part in deciding the formation of the insurance group's board which is due for renewal in April, it said.

The newspaper said that the investment would be part of Berlusconi's strategy to increase exposure towards financial companies, and his group already plans to increase its stake in Mediobanca SpA, it said.

Berlusconi's holding company Fininvest SpA is largely exposed to the media sector, having controlling stakes in the television group Mediaset SpA and the publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore SpA.