Abbott in Arbitrage
When I was at my first real job, a start-up that when on to list on the NYSE, we were hit with a hostile take-over offer, which the CEO rejected out of hand.
The shareholders, on the other hand, weren’t so unimpressed and within days the arbitrage boys owned enough stock to seal the deal.
At the emergency shareholders meeting I remember chatting to a senior ‘hedge fund’ guy (hard to say what he was – maybe best to describe him as an American pirate with money and a suit) and he told me that ‘Once a company is in play, it’s over. The only question is where the money goes’.
This sort of reminds me of Tony Abbott’s situation – the deal is in play and the result is now inevitable. I wonder if he recognises this?
My guess is that the sort of bizarrely ego-driven mania that is required for a person to become PM must also blind-side the individual to the recognition of this sort of inevitability, despite the fact that it has happened many times over and always with the same result.
In business most smart leaders, when faced with such a situation, immediately start negotiating while they have some chips left on the table. Usually it is money they seek.
Abbott could angle for some plum role, say the ambassador to the UK. His spiritual home, so to speak.
offshore westerly 