Bruce Wasserstein: A Life of Shrewd Deal Making and Philanthropy

Bruce Wasserstein was a master deal maker who spent his career in the world of finance. He was born in 1957 in Brooklyn, New York.

Wasserstein's family was involved in the publishing industry, and his father, Seymour Wasserstein, was a prominent figure in the field. Bruce's early life was marked by exposure to the business world.

Wasserstein's entry into the world of finance was facilitated by his connections to the investment bank First Boston, where his father worked. He quickly made a name for himself as a shrewd and ambitious young banker.

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Bruce Wasserstein was born and raised in Midwood, Brooklyn, New York, the son of Lola and Morris Wasserstein. His father, a Jewish immigrant from pre-World War II Poland, settled in New York City and started a ribbon company.

Wasserstein's maternal grandfather, Simon Schleifer, was a Jewish teacher in the yeshiva in Wloclawek, Poland who later immigrated to Paterson, New Jersey and became a Hebrew school principal.

Bruce had four siblings, including Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein, businesswoman Sandra Wasserstein Meyer, Abner Wasserstein, and Georgette Levis, who was married to psychiatrist Albert J. Levis.

Wasserstein attended the Yeshiva of Flatbush for high school and then went on to graduate from the McBurney School, University of Michigan, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Law School.

Bruce Wasserstein started his career as an attorney at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. He then moved to First Boston Corp. in 1977 and eventually rose to co-head of the company's merger and acquisition practice.

Wasserstein co-founded investment bank boutique Wasserstein Perella & Co. in 1988 with colleague Joseph Perella, which he sold in 2000 to Germany's Dresdner Bank for around $1.4 billion in stock.

He later became head of the financial services firm Lazard in 2002, leading the initial public offering of Lazard in 2005 and becoming the public firm's first chairman and CEO.

Bruce Wasserstein made his mark in the business world with some of the most notorious deals of his time.

Wasserstein's most infamous deal was the 1989 KKR bid for RJR Nabisco, a $31.5bn purchase that was largely funded by debt, making it the largest leveraged buyout ever.

The deal was made even more notorious by the bestselling book Barbarians At The Gate, which chronicled the bidding war between KKR and RJR's CEO Ross Johnson.

Wasserstein walked away with a $25m fee after KKR managed to win the bidding war and eventually made a profit.

Wasserstein's first major deal was in 1981, a $7bn takeover of Conoco by DuPont, which he advised.

DuPont bet correctly that its offer was more likely to get past the competition authorities and succeeded in completing the takeover.

Wasserstein's other notable deals included Philip Morris's $13bn purchase of Kraft in 1988, and advising Kraft Foods on its $16bn unsolicited takeover of Cadbury at the time of his death.

Bruce Wasserstein was a prominent Wall Street deal maker, known for his ability to navigate complex mergers and acquisitions. He started his career as an attorney at Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

Wasserstein's big break came in 1981 when he advised chemicals group DuPont on a takeover bid for Conoco, which was then the biggest takeover in corporate history at $7bn. This deal showcased his strategic thinking and ability to outmaneuver competitors.

Wasserstein's most famous deal was the $31.5bn purchase of RJR Nabisco by KKR in 1989, which was made notorious by the book Barbarians At The Gate. This deal was the largest leveraged buyout ever at the time.

Wasserstein's success in the deal-making world led him to form his own investment bank, Wasserstein Perella & Co, which he sold to Dresdner Bank for $1.4 billion in stock in 2000.

Bruce Wasserstein's philanthropic efforts were significant, particularly with a $25 million donation to Harvard Law School in 2007 for the creation of a large academic wing of the school's Northwest Corner complex, which was named Wasserstein Hall.

Wasserstein was married four times and had seven biological children. His wives include Laura Lynelle Killin, Christine Parrott, Claude Becker, and Angela Chao.

Here's a breakdown of his children:

Wasserstein's personal life was marked by his liberal political views and his involvement in media since high school.

Philanthropy is a significant aspect of many people's lives.

In 2007, Wasserstein made a $25 million donation to Harvard Law School, a truly remarkable act of generosity.

This donation was used to create a large academic wing of the school's Northwest Corner complex, which was named Wasserstein Hall.

Philanthropy can take many forms, but it often involves making significant financial contributions to support a particular cause or institution.

Bruce Wasserstein's personal life was quite complex, with four marriages and seven biological children. He was married to Angela Chao from 2009 until his death in 2009.

His first marriage was to Laura Lynelle Killin in 1968, which lasted until 1974. He then married Christine Parrott, with whom he had three children: Ben, Pam, and Scoop. Christine is a psychoanalyst and has since remarried to American journalist and newspaper publisher Dan Rattiner.

Wasserstein's third marriage was to Claude Becker, with whom he had two sons: Jack and Dash. Prior to her marriage to Wasserstein, Claude was an Emmy Award-winning CBS news producer. After Bruce's death, Claude took in Lucy, his sister Wendy's daughter.

Wasserstein's fourth and final marriage was to Angela Chao, the sister of Elaine Chao, who is married to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell.

Here are Bruce Wasserstein's marriages in a list format:

Bruce Wasserstein was a highly successful investment banker who worked at several top firms, including First Boston, where he was a top-ranked banker, and Lazard Frères & Co., where he was a managing director.

He was known for his expertise in mergers and acquisitions, and his ability to advise clients on complex financial transactions.

Wasserstein was also a prolific writer, and his book "Big Deal: The Battle for the Future of Wall Street" was a bestseller.

He was a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, and he received his MBA from Harvard in 1973.

Wasserstein's career was marked by a series of high-profile deals, including the $1.6 billion sale of First Boston to Credit Suisse in 1988.

As a banker, Wasserstein was known for his deal-making skills and his ability to think creatively.

In 2005, he led the team that advised the sale of the Tribune Company to a group of investors for $8.2 billion.