The Dealmaker

Author: Guy Hands

Format: Paperback

Lessons from a Life in Private Equity

An inside account of the multi-billion pound world of private equity and a masterclass on the art of deal-making from one of Britain's most high-profile investors.

'The only book about private equity to read like a thriller.' — The Times

Diagnosed at the age of five as severely dyslexic, Guy Hands managed to overcome the challenges of school to attend Oxford University and start his own private equity company. Now, in The Dealmaker he shares the ups and downs of a tumultuous career as a serial entrepreneur.

In his insightful book, Hands charts his career in private equity, first at Nomura and then as head of his own company, Terra Firma. He looks in detail at the huge deals that Terra Firma has done over the years, involving everything from cinema chains and pubs to waste management, aircraft leasing and green energy.

He also provides a brutally honest appraisal of the deal that almost bankrupted him - the acquisition of multinational music recording and publishing company EMI in 2007, just as a global financial crash loomed on the horizon.

Above all, he gives the reader a real sense of what it's like inside the secretive world of private equity, describing in frank detail the pressures and rewards involved.

Insightful and page-turning, The Dealmaker will prove inspirational and essential reading for all those who want to understand how huge business negotiations are done, and what makes one of private equity's biggest players tick.

'Far from being the typical business book.... It grips the reader from the first page . . . 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

About the Author

Guy Hands, who was born in 1959, graduated with an MA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Mansfield College, Oxford, and then went to work for Goldman Sachs International where he became Head of Eurobond Trading, and then Head of Goldman Sachs' Global Asset Structuring Group. He left Goldman Sachs in 1994 for Nomura International plc where he established PFG before spinning out Terra Firma as an independent private equity firm in 2002. Since then, he has overseen the investment of €17 billion of equity in 35 businesses with an aggregate value of €48 billion. In 2012, Guy was named the 20th most influential figure in Private Equity International's '100 Most Influential of the Decade'. He established Terra Firma Capital Partners Limited's commitment to donate 10% of annual pre-tax profits to local initiatives in London, while Terra Firma Capital Management Limited supports numerous charities in Guernsey. He is also President of 'Access for Excellence' which promotes access to higher education. Additionally, Guy is a fellow of the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme. In 2018, Guy was awarded Spear's 'Philanthropist of the Year'. He is also a member of the University of Oxford Chancellor's Court of Benefactors.

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