One man can kill Bill Ackman’s $64 billion bid for Universal Music Group—and no one knows what he’ll do

Man in a suit and tie (Credit: Thomas SAMSON—AFP/Getty Images)

Activist investor Bill Ackman has his sights set on Universal Music Group, and he’s launched a complex $64 billion proposal for the label behind Bad Bunny, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and a long list of other superstars.

To get his hands on the prize though, Ackman will first have to contend with another big personality: Vincent Bolloré, the 74-year-old secretive French billionaire who controls 28% of Universal through a complex web of holdings.