Deals·October 23, 2026 at 12:00 AM EDT·1 source
How a transatlantic mega-merger fell apart over a leadership tug of war
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News
What happened
- Smith & Nephew was in talks to combine with Johnson & Johnson’s orthopaedics unit.
- The talks broke down after Smith & Nephew refused to agree to a former chief executive leading the combined business.
Why it matters
The episode highlights how leadership and governance disagreements can derail large healthcare M&A transactions even after strategic discussions begin.
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Timeline
- EarlierOct 13J&J's 6% slide on an imperfect quarter is a gift to prospective buyers
- EarlierOct 14Six Flags Entertainment Investigation Notice: SueWallSt Notifies Investors of Pending Investigation Into Six Flags Entertainment (FUN)
- EarlierOct 20The battle of the knee replacement robots
- EarlierOct 20Rapport says drug it licensed from J&J clears Phase 2 bipolar mania study
- First reported by Financial TimesOct 23How a transatlantic mega-merger fell apart over a leadership tug of war
Who is involved
How a transatlantic mega-merger fell apart over a leadership …Smith & NephewSNNJohnson & JohnsonJNJ
Company
Sources (1)
- Financial TimesOct 23How a transatlantic mega-merger fell apart over a leadership tug of war
Related
- Oct 20 · Rapport says drug it licensed from J&J clears Phase 2 bipolar mania study
- Oct 20 · The battle of the knee replacement robots
- Oct 13 · Health Care Roundup: Market Talk
- Oct 14 · Six Flags Entertainment Investigation Notice: SueWallSt Notifies Investors of Pending Investigation Into Six Flags Entertainment (FUN)
- Oct 13 · J&J's 6% slide on an imperfect quarter is a gift to prospective buyers
- Oct 13 · J&J Is Leaning Toward Spinning Out Its Hips-And-Knees Business
Read more on YouBank
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