Nelson Peltz has made a name for himself over his four-decade career in managing enterprises in financial distress. In the 1980s, he made billions by taking control of companies through “leveraged buyouts” (LBO) and then later selling them at significant profits. One of these early successes was his acquisition and later sale of Triangle Industries, considered a paradigm of this model of financial transaction.
After Triangle, he had obtained the financial means to coast through the rest of his career and life, but instead decided to use those assets to plunge headlong into the world of an “Activist Investor.” This involves buying enough of a share in a company to be able to influence its leadership in the decisions it takes to run the business. Peltz has led activist takeovers of companies as large and varied as Heinz, Unilever, and DuPont. These days, he is deep in the weeds at Disney, attempting to push management in certain directions.
This week, The New York Times published a full-length profile on Peltz covering his background and current campaign at Disney ahead of its April 3rd shareholders meeting. He has gained a reputation as somewhat of a troublemaker for corporate leaders. Given the traction Peltz has earned with some of Disney’s shareholders, Peltz may emerge as a prime influencer in the media and entertainment industry.