Rijper did not get very far. Immediately he got himself trapped in
the entrance lobby. `I was fuming. I started making some calls on
my mobile. The lawyer enquired if I had cooled down. No, I said,
butheurgedmetocomebackandtalksomemore.Wefinally
managed to close the deal.'
Immediately he got himself trapped in the entrance
lobby
No 9 to 5 attitude
Less than two years later, Wagram resold both companies. `At
right angles with our usual long term policy, but the American
company Blyth were more than anxious to buy them.' Rijper
invited Holland Corporate Finance to act as advisors; they were
familiar with both Euro-Decor and Edelman, as well as with
Blyth. Two years later, when Blyth decided to dispose of its
European activities, the management saw the opportunity.
`Together we performed a buy-out, with Holland Corporate
Finance once again acting as a advisor.'
According to Rijper, to sit at the negotiation table next to each
other and then, on a different occasion, opposite each other, is
not something unusual. `That's how it goes in professional
services. Often the more advisors there are, the more reasons
youfindnottoarriveatadeal.It'simportanttohaveadvisorsat
the table who focus on the key issues. I am good at that, and so
are they. With me, what is right is right, and if it's not, it's not. And
if that means no deal, then so be it.' Rijper's feelings about this
remain the same, whether it is 4pm or 4am.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
78
79