Bruce Wasserstein: Shy deal-maker who pioneered hostile M&A

Bruce Wasserstein, the Wall Street legend and one of the most ruthless deal-makers Wall Street has ever known, died last week, aged 61.

For a 'barbarian' worth more than $2bn, Bruce Wasserstein, chief executive and chairman of investment bank Lazard, had a fairly low-key lifestyle. He had expensive homes in New York city and the Hamptons, but he wasn't one to "spend his evenings... amid New York's glitterati", as The Daily Telegraph put it.

And his personal appearance his yo-yoing weight, a dress sense often described as 'crumpled' were ill-at-odds with the stereotype of the suave, designer-labeled banker. Indeed, says James Quinn in The Sunday Telegraph, he was "shy to the point that he would often not speak to employees in his own lifts if he didn't know them".

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up
MoneyWeek

MoneyWeek is written by a team of experienced and award-winning journalists, plus expert columnists. As well as daily digital news and features, MoneyWeek also publishes a weekly magazine, covering investing and personal finance. From share tips, pensions, gold to practical investment tips - we provide a round-up to help you make money and keep it.