Cold Steel

IN 2006 THE WORLD`S TWO LARGEST STEEL PRODUCERS WENT HEAD TO HEAD IN A BITTER STRUGGLE FOR MARKET DOMINATION, AN EPIC CORPORATE BATTLE THAT SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE POLITICAL CORRIDORS OF EUROPE, EXCITED THE WORLD`S FINANCIAL MARKETS AND TRANSFORMED THE STEEL INDUSTRY. COLD STEEL IS THE GRIPPING STORY OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST HARD-FOUGHT INDUSTRY TAKEOVER OF RECENT YEARS. AT THE HEART OF THE STORY ARE TWO COMPANIES AND TWO MEN DUBBED THE ""STALLIONS OF STEEL`. LAKSHMI MITTAL IS A SELF-MADE INDIAN INDUSTRIALIST WHO GREW UP WALKING ON THE BARE FLOORS OF A HOUSE BUILT BY HIS GRANDFATHER AND SLEEPING ON ROPE BEDS. TODAY HE IS THE RICHEST MAN IN GREAT BRITAIN, AND THE FIFTH RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD; HIS LONDON HOME COST £57 MILLION. HE COULD HARDLY HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFERENT FROM THE BRILLIANT AND MERCURIAL FRENCHMAN GUY DOLLE, CEO OF LUXEMBOURG-BASED ARCELOR, THE WORLD`S LARGEST STEEL PRODUCER BY TURNOVER (SOME 30 BILLION EUROS IN 2004). BUT ONE AMBITION UNITED THE MEN: THAT HIS COMPANY SHOULD BE PRE-EMINENT. SO WHEN MITTAL CALLED DOLLE TO ANNOUNCE THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO LAUNCH A BID FOR ARCELOR, A DRAMATIC TAKEOVER STRUGGLE INEVITABLY ENSUED, INVOLVING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FINANCE, SECRETIVE GOVERNMENT AND SHAREHOLDER MANOEUVRINGS AND ACCUSATIONS OF DOUBLE-DEALING - ALL WITH GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES. FAST-PACED AND COMPELLING, COLD STEEL BRINGS TO LIFE THE CUT AND THRUST OF BIG BUSINESSES AT WAR WITH EACH OTHER - MITTAL AND DOLLE LED ARMIES MADE UP OF HUNDREDS OF THE WORLD`S LEADING INVESTMENT BANKERS, TAKEOVER LAWYERS, HEDGE FUNDS, LOBBYISTS AND FIVE MAVERICK BILLIONAIRES. THE AUTHORS HAVE ENJOYED UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO ALL OF THE MAJOR PLAYERS, MAKING THIS A TRUE INSIDER ACCOUNT OF THE TAKEOVER THAT DEFINED AN ERA. ''गी, मी लक्ष्मी मित्तल बोलतो आहे. मी केवळ औपचारिकपणे तुझ्या कानावर घालण्यासाठी हा फोन केला आहे, की उद्या मित्तल स्टील तुझ्या भागधारकांच्यासमोर आर्सेलरच्या शेअर्ससाठी थेट प्रस्ताव मांडणार आहे.'' -लक्ष्मी मित्तल ''भारतीय वंशाचा एक उद्योजक, जगातील पहिल्या क्रमांकाचा पोलाद उत्पादक झाला आहे, याचा मला अभिमान आणि आनंद वाटत आहे...'' -अर्थमंत्री पी.सी. चिदंबरम ``एक वर्षापूर्वी फ्रान्समध्ये तू आगंतुक होतास; पण आता परिस्थिती बदललेली आहे,`` असं म्हणत जॅक शिराकने हसून मित्तलशी हस्तांदोलन केलं आणि म्हणाला, ``आता फ्रान्समध्ये सर्वत्र तुझं स्वागतच केलं जात आहे.`` -फ्रान्सचे राष्ट्राध्यक्ष जॅक शिराक `'ही तर एक प्रकारची लढाईच आहे,`` जॉन कास्टेगन्रोने जाहीर केलं. ``आपण आपल्या रक्ताचा शेवटचा थेंब असेपर्यंत लढलं पाहिजे.`` मित्तलचा प्रस्ताव आर्सेलरच्या संचालक मंडळाने एकमुखाने फेटाळून लावला.