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Case Study

ICI Mayflower

19 pages

November 1998

Reference: IMD-3-0763

This case asks the reader to take the perspective of a board member of ICI, the British chemical company, in April 1996. Charles Miller Smith, the CEO of ICI, is asking for permission to approach Unilever about the possibility of buying four businesses (code named Mayflower) for a sum that could be between z4 and 5 billion. This appears to be a “bet the business” decision as this sum is close to the total market capitalization of ICI. The case permits both a strategic and financial review of the decision. The deal did take place, but this is not apparent from the case.

Keywords

Acquisition

Settings

United Kingdom
1996

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English

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