Merger Empire: The Biography of Steve Ross, CEO of Time Warner

Author: Connie Bruck (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: This is the story of Steve Ross's career journey. Legendary director Steven Spielberg, after reading this book, believed that Ross's dramatic life was almost indistinguishable from a movie. Ross started with his father-in-law's funeral home business, then ventured into the parking industry, and gradually expanded his business scope, dominating Wall Street and the Mafia, step by step building the world's leading media and entertainment empire—Time Warner Group. Ross always used his flexible tactics and extraordinary wit to navigate complex negotiations. He was extremely generous to his trusted associates: he could spend a fortune to curry favor with Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg, but he could also betray his lifelong friends for self-preservation. To make money, he even spread stock rumors to inflate share prices and then sold them off for huge profits. His ruthless ambition was unmatched. He achieved his lifelong ambition of dominating the industry, but suddenly passed away. However, the successors of Time Warner Group continued to expand the empire through mergers and acquisitions, and CNN was also brought under its umbrella. It seemed as if Ross still ruled from beyond the grave.