Funds deny knowledge of Deutsche stake in Atos

PARIS, May 16 (Reuters) - Activist funds Pardus and Centaurus, which are trying to force changes at French IT services firm Atos Origin, said on Friday they had no connection with a 6.26 percent stake disclosed by Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research).

"Pardus and Centaurus have no knowledge of the Deutsche Bank stake," a spokesman for the two funds said.

Deutsche Bank acquired the direct and indirect stake in an off-market transaction on May 12, regulator AMF said earlier.

The move comes ahead of a potentially stormy shareholders meeting on May 22.

Pardus and Centaurus together own 23.01 percent of Atos.

The funds are seeking to win representation on the board, oust its chairman Didier Cherpitel and force the company to change strategy. (Reporting by Yann Le Guernigou, Tim Hepher)