Il consorzio cinese guidato dall’Anbang Insurance Group e composto anche dagli operatori di private-equity J.C. Flowers & Co. e Primavera Capital Group, che tanto ha battagliato con Marriott per Starwood ha comunicato ieri notte il ritiro della sua offerta da 14 miliardi di dollari per la catena americana “a causa di diverse considerazioni di mercato”, come si legge in una nota.
Strada spianata quindi per Marriott che, in questo modo, darebbe vita alla catena alberghiera più grande al mondo con più di 1 milione di camere e 30 brand in tutto il globo. Uno stop inatteso, visto che da inizio anno, secondo Dealogic, le aziende del colosso economico asiatico hanno effettuato acquisizioni all’estero per 92 miliardi di dollari, di cui molte negli Stati Uniti. Ma che, forse, ha pesato anche l’opacità nella proprietà della società assicurativa fondata solo nel 2004 e con più di 30 investitori, di identità sconosciuta, tra i soci.
Starwood, dopo il ritiro dei cinesi, ha confermato l’impegno a proseguire la fusione con Marriott grazie all’offerta in contanti e azioni dal valore di 77,94 dollari per titolo.
Un’offerta che piace al ceo di Starwood Thomas B. Mangas che ha scritto ai suoi impiegati. Qui sotto la lettera originale inviata a tutti i dipendenti della catena:
“Dear Associates:
There is no question that the last few weeks have felt like a rollercoaster ride for our company and our people. Like any ride, it could not go on forever, and I’d like to share with you that the Consortium led by Anbang just informed us that they have withdrawn their bid for Starwood. Many of you have told me that this journey has been both exciting and tiresome, and I agree, which is why I am pleased that we have reached resolution and can continue our important work with Marriott to bring together these two great companies.
Although this has been a trying process, it did lead to a 15.4% increase in the value of our company, underscoring the success of Starwood and the talent of our people. I can tell you that after having a closer look at what we have to offer, Marriott is only more excited to join forces with Starwood. They greatly admire our approach to brands, the intense loyalty of our SPG members and our global footprint, infrastructure and teams. Throughout the back and forth, our Board of Directors remained committed to our merger with Marriott, and the strategic advantages of our combination which will offer our guests and customers 1.1 million rooms across 30 brands, deliver the most powerful loyalty program in the travel industry and create countless opportunities for our associates around the globe.
Our integration teams continue to work closely with their counterparts at Marriott, and we remain on track to close midyear. Next week is our shareholder vote which will be an important milestone, after which point we can really amp up our work to integrate the best of Starwood and the best of Marriott to create the world’s leading hotel company.
It is interesting times to be sure, but it is not lost on me that for some, depending on where you sit, the potential of going in another direction had different professional implications. Clearly a merger of this magnitude can take a personal toll. However, we should all feel very proud of the sought after, innovative company we have created together. Let’s continue to take great care of our guests every day and win in the marketplace, which is the very best way to ensure that Starwood’s unique take on hospitality endures.
On behalf of our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors I would like to thank you for your resilience, patience and hard work during this unprecedented time”
Regards,
Tom Mangas
