: F. Ross Johnson, the CEO of RJR Nabisco, attempted to take his own company private in a management buyout to escape a stagnant stock price.
: His move triggered a massive bidding war involving Wall Street titans like Henry Kravis of KKR, Shearson Lehman Hutton, and Salomon Brothers. Barbarians At the Gate
: KKR eventually won with a record-shattering $25 billion bid—the largest LBO in history at the time. Key Themes & Legacy : F. Ross Johnson