Dethroning the King

<b>How the King of Beers collapsed without a fight and what it means for America's place in the post-Recession world</b> <p>How did InBev, a Belgian company controlled by Brazilians, take over one of America's most beloved brands with scarcely a whimper of opposition? Chalk it up to perfect 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 <i>Dethroning the King</i>, Julie MacIntosh, the award-winning financial journalist who led coverage of the takeover for the <i>Financial Times</i>, 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 as a nation.</p> <ul> <li>Discusses how the takeover of Anheuser-Busch will be seen as a defining moment in U.S. business history</li> <li>Reveals the critical missteps taken by the Busch family and the Anheuser-Busch board</li> <li>Argues that Anheuser-Busch had a chance to save itself from InBev's clutches, but infighting and dysfunctionality behind the scenes forced it to capitulate</li> </ul> <p>From America's heartland to the European continent to Brazil, <i>Dethroning the King</i> is the ultimate corporate caper and a fascinating case study that's both wide reaching and profound.</p>