Boots prevented Nottinghamshire Live from asking questions about a potential £5bn takeover bid as chancellor Rishi Sunak paid a visit to its HQ in Beeston. One of India’s richest men joined forces with a US private equity firm to launch a £5 billion takeover attempt of Nottinghamshire's largest private company, a decision which will impact more than 8,000 staff in the county.
Roughly 8,500 people work for Boots, which has its headquarters is based in Thane Road, Beeston, and it is now understood billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s firm Reliance Industries started working with Apollo Global Management on a potential move. A takeover of the company, which cut 300 jobs at its HQ amid the coronavirus pandemic, is high on the agenda for many staff and assurances over their livelihoods are already being sought.
The owners of Asda, who had also submitted a bid, could also be on the brink of withdrawing their bid for Boots over a disagreement on price. As such Nottinghamshire Live had planned to ask Conservative chancellor Rishi Sunak, in a one-to-one interview, how closely Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Government was keeping tabs on any such significant takeover during his visit to the HQ on Thursday, June 16.
