Council on Foreign Relations Plays Key Role in Proctor & Gamble – Blackstone Deal
Does The Council on Foreign Relations play a significant role in the business world? It does if you are the Blackstone Group. Blackstone was retained by Proctor & Gamble Co to serve as an advisor on the possible sale of its Duracell batteries, Pringles snack chips, and Folgers and Millstone coffee brands (see article in The Wall Street Journal). We created an IntellectSpace Knowledge Map to determine if any ties could have played a role in this deal and were surprised by the strong ties through The Council on Foreign Relations.
As this Knowledge Map illustrates, P&G Directors Lynn Martin and Charles Lee are both currently Members of The Council on Foreign Relations. Through this organization they most likely have developed contacts with the Blackstone Group, of which several Directors are also Members. Blackstone Co-Founder and former Secretary of Commerce Peter Peterson is currently Chairman of the CFR. Blackstone Co-Founder, Chairman/CEO Stephen Schwarzman and Vice-Chairman J Tomilson Hill are also Members, as are former long-time Blackstone Director Roger Altman and Blackstone Healthcare Director Lodewijk J R de Vink.
Through this famous organization it is highly plausible that P&G has made significant contacts with Blackstone that enabled them to initiate the negotiations of this deal.
Click here for an interactive version of this IntellectSpace Knowledge Map (Internet Explorer browsers only): http://nv.intellectspace.com
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