Dethroning the King: The Hostile Takeover of Anheuser-Busch, an American Icon

Julie MacIntosh

Aug 2011 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Joyce Bean

About this audiobook

How did InBev, a Belgian company controlled by Brazilians, take over one of America's most beloved brands after barely a whimper of a fight? Timing, and some unexpected help from powerful members of the Busch dynasty, the very family that had run the company for more than a century. In Dethroning the King, Julie MacIntosh, an award-winning financial journalist who led coverage of the takeover for the Financial Times, details how the drama that unfolded at Anheuser-Busch in 2008 went largely unreported as the world tumbled into a global economic crisis second only to the Great Depression. Today, as the dust settles, questions are being asked about how the "King of Beers" was so easily captured by a foreign corporation, and whether the company's fall mirrors America's dwindling financial and political dominance. In Dethroning the King, MacIntosh: -Discusses how the takeover of Anheuser-Busch will be seen as a defining moment in U.S. business history -Reveals the critical missteps taken by the Busch family and the Anheuser-Busch board -Argues that Anheuser-Busch had a chance to save itself from InBev's clutches, but strong forces behind the scenes forced it to capitulate From the very heart of America's heartland to the European continent to Brazil, Dethroning the King is the ultimate corporate caper and a fascinating case study that's both wide-reaching and profound.

About the author

Julie MacIntosh is an award-winning financial journalist who earned degrees from Northwestern University and Columbia University and has worked as a correspondent for the Financial Times and Reuters.

Joyce Bean is an accomplished audiobook narrator and director. In addition to being an AudioFile Earphones Award winner, she has been nominated multiple times for a prestigious Audie Award, including for Good-bye and Amen by Beth Gutcheon.