Buyout Book : Excerpts

Chapter 1
On April 1, 1997, a smiling Dan Gillis, president of the American division of Software AG, stood on the front stage of a large ballroom at the Hyatt Dulles in Reston, Virginia. Hundreds of Software AG employees packed into the conference room, while others listened in on global conference calls from sites across the United States, Japan, and Israel. Employees arrived early. It was standing room only, a first for an employee meeting of the U.S. division of the German software maker since Gillis was named president in May 1996. In a memo to employees the week before, he had told them only that the meeting was for "an update of our progress" in the first quarter along with a few "special announcements." But there was an air of nervousness and uncertainty in the room. They knew it was much more than a simple update. But was it good news or bad?   Read more.

Due Diligence Checklist
Due diligence is a tool a manager or individulat can use when reviewing different facets of the business they are interested in acquiring. This is a generic list that needs to be tailored to meet the individual specifics of any given opportunity. Read more.

Glossary of Banker Speak
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