Catching lightning in a bottle - Winthrop H. Smith Jr

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR
CATCHING LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE

Win Smith, son of a founder of Merrill Lynch , has written an accurate story of the rise and fall of America
s preeminent brokerage firm. No novel could be as captivating, no characters as rich and fascinating as those who fill the pages of this remarkable book. Merrill, one of the few financial institutions with a soul, thrived and flourished because of strong and principled management. The firm
s demise, according to Smith (who holds back nothing), resulted from flawed management. A great study of the dark side of economic Darwinism.



ARTHUR LEVITT,
Former Chairman, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Catching Lightning in a Bottle
is a timely history combined with intrigue and passion. It provides an accurate view of how our firm, Merrill Lynch, grew to prominence through a total commitment to clients and how losing sight of these principles led to the wounding of one of the world?s greatest global franchises. This is a must–read for every executive in order to avoid these mistakes in the future. Now that our time–honored, principled approach to serving our customers has been restored, we are all thrilled to be part of BOA/MER.



DANIEL P. TULLY,
Chairman Emeritus, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

This is a powerful and important story
of what made a great institution and what brought it down, including some untold intrigue about the final years of Merrill Lynch. It is written by a man who knew it well and stood by his Principles.



JOSH WESTON,
Honorary Chairman, Automatic Data Processing, Inc.