Bruce Wasserstein on Charlie Rose

Video Synopsis:

Charlie Rose discusses mergers and acquisitions with Bruce Wasserstein, CEO of Lazard. Bruce Wasserstein’s company, Lazard offers investment services like asset management, corporate restructure and private equity. The original Bruce Wasserstein interview on Charlie Rose is available on the official Charlie Rose website.

Lazard Chairman and CEO Bruce Wasserstein is one of America’s top investment and private equity experts. Hailing from Brooklyn, Bruce Wasserstein comes from a family of distinguished accomplishment; his sister Sandra Meyer was a pioneering marketing executive and another sister, Wendy Wasserstein, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of The Heidi Chronicles. Bruce Wasserstein is currently raising Wendy’s daughter.

Since the 1980s, Bruce Wasserstein business deals have totaled more than $250 billion. Bruce Wasserstein began as a lawyer for Cravath, Swaine & Moore attorney, he moved on to First Boston Corp.’s merger and acquisition practice. Bruce Wasserstein then formed the investment bank Wasserstein Perella & Co., which he sold in 2000 to Dresdner Bank for about $1.4 billion. He left the the resulting merged company Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein to take the helm of Lazard.

Under Bruce Wasserstein, Lazard greatly expanded its financial advisory business. Lazard’s acquisitions include controlling stakes in the Argentinian investment bank MBA, Australian investment bank Carnegie Wylie, and middle market investment bank Goldsmith Agio Helms & Lynner. Lazard has also opened branch offices all over the world. Bruce Wasserstein is a Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School alumni. Bruce Wasserstein made a a $25 million donation to Harvard Law School, and a wing of the school’s new Northwest Corner complex in named Wasserstein Hall in his honor.

According to Forbes, Bruce Wasserstein is worth $2.3 billion.

Bruce Wasserstein is married to Angela Chao, the sister of former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao. Angela is also an alumni of Harvard Business School, and serves as an executive at her father James Chao’s Foremost Group, a shipping and trade company.

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Additional Information on Bruce Wasserstein:

• Businessweek profile of Bruce Wasserstein entitled “The Taking of Lazard”.
• Private equity gurus Bruce Wasserstein and Stephen Schwarzman have a lively debate at a Fortune breakfast.
• Bruce Wasserstein shares his views about why he feels the business press is always wrong when it comes to buying and selling advice.