Black draws up plans for next battle

I read with interest Paul McCann’s article “Express and Telegraph to merge sales divisions” (MW May 10). Conrad Black clearly has a healthy interest in the operations of United News & Media.

It seems quite understandable that any prospect of Hollick selling the newspaper group to The Telegraph’s owner Conrad Black would be dismissed as speculation by Telegraph staff.

In 1992, Black held serious discussions about launching a tender offer for all of United with several parties, including Dutch group Elsevier, Reed and the East Midlands Allied Press. On this occasion Black had no luck. Elsevier and Reed merged, and the talks with EMAP came to nothing. Black had to concede a strategic defeat.

He later said of chairman of United News & Media Lord Stevens: “What he managed to do is turn a weakness into a strength. He managed to use the perceived weakness of the Express titles as a disincentive to others to make a bid for his company. It’s hard to do, but very cunning.”

Black is known to have a considerable interest in the personal qualities of strong leaders. Reportedly, on a wall beside his desk in Canary Wharf, is a painting of Napoleon in a battlefield setting and nearby a painting of Admiral Nelson. When asked about these paintings he said: “There is Napoleon after Waterloo and behind him is Nelson before Trafalgar. Napoleon lost and survived, and Nelson won and died.” Asked for the significance, Black is reported to have said: “Seen from a certain perspective, he who seems to win loses – and vice versa.”

Some would say the basis of strong leadership is never to concede defeat and thus show weakness. The failure of Black to gain control of United News & Media has possibly left a chink in his worldwide armoury of newspapers, which he would rather was not there.

The tightening of his relationship with United News & Media would seem to make the prospect of a complete merger more inviting and with United’s Stevens retiring shortly, time is running out to take revenge on a former grand master of the game, who to date is known to have beaten Black.

Jon Swaby

Marketing executive

Reed Business Publishing

Sutton

Surrey