The Dealmaker: Lessons from a Life in Private Equity

(Paperback)

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Description

An insider explains the world of private equity Private equity - which buys, invests in and then sells on companies - is a powerful force in the business world today, worth many billions of dollars. Yet despite the muscle it flexes, it's a sector that is largely closed off to outsiders, operating behind the scenes and shunning publicity. In The Dealmaker, Guy Hands, one of the stars of the private equity firmament, reveals how it works through the prism of his own career. He tells how a dyslexic child who struggled at school became an Oxford graduate and serial entrepreneur, before embarking on a private equity career, first at Nomura and then as head of his own company, Terra Firma. He looks at the huge deals that Terra Firma has done over the years, involving everything from cinema chains to pubs to waste management to aircraft leasing. He also appraises the one deal that turned sour - the acquisition of multinational music recording and publishing company EMI in 2007. His insights will prove essential reading for all those concerned with or interested in the world of investment.

Reviews

The only book about private equity to read like a thriller. * The Times *
Very far from being the typical business book destined to be forgotten shortly after publication. It grips the reader from the first page . . . [It does] a superb job of explaining how private equity works . . . there are some very useful investment lessons . . . This book should definitely be on your reading list. * Money Week *
If you are curious to learn the secrets of these financial alchemists, here is your chance to do so from the very best. * Business Standard *
A brutally honest book about his world of high-stakes deal-making and the emotional fallout. * The Times *

Author Bio

Guy Hands studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford before joining Goldman Sachs in 1982. He went on to establish Terra Firma Capital Partners, which today is one of the largest private equity firms in Europe.