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The Key Man
Book

The Key Man

The True Story of How the Global Elite Was Duped by a Capitalist Fairy Tale

Simon Clark and Will Louch
Harper, 2021

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Background
  • Engaging

Recommendation

The story of Bernie Madoff proved that it’s possible to fool investors for a surprisingly long time – at least as long as you have the control, charm and nerve for it. Journalists Simon Clark and Will Louch offer a cautionary tale in the same vein with this intriguing account of how an alleged fraudster used the momentum from a bit of modest investing success to construct a lofty edifice of hubris and spin. While the details of this scam centered on the modern idea of impact investing, its simple essence was as old as time: the classic Ponzi scheme.

Take-Aways

  • Arif Naqvi’s deal-making skills helped make him big in private equity investing in the Middle East.
  • Naqvi and his company Abraaj gained a reputation for investing successfully in challenging emerging markets.
  • Charisma and luck helped Naqvi win influential backers.

About the Authors

Simon Clark, a journalist in London formerly with The Wall Street Journal, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 2016. Will Louch, formerly with The Wall Street Journal, is with Bloomberg News in London.

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