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.