ZURICH (Reuters) - Holcim's (>> Holcim Ltd) third biggest shareholder Harris Associates has increased its share in the cement maker over the past year, a spokeswoman for the investment firm said on Monday.

Harris Associates now owns 6.38 percent of Holcim shares, the spokeswoman said in an emailed statement, up from 4.94 percent as of April 2014 stated on the Swiss cement maker's website.

The higher-than-reported holdings add weight to comments made by Harris Associates' investment head for international equities last week over the future of Holcim's planned merger with France's Lafarge (>> LAFARGE).

David Herro told a Swiss newspaper the firm wanted to know who would lead the enlarged group after the merger before it decides whether to back the deal.

Earlier this month, the two companies decided that Lafarge boss Bruno Lafont would no longer become chief executive of the combination. However, an alternative has yet to be named.

(Reporting by Joshua Franklin)

Stocks treated in this article : LAFARGE, Holcim Ltd