CITY VIEWS: SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT STEP IN TO PROTECT BRITISH COMPANIES FROM OVERSEAS TAKEOVERS?
ANINDYA ROY AVIVA
“It’s not a fundamentally bad idea to allow overseas companies to buy British ones. We live in a globalised world. The inflows are good for the economy, but there is a balance to be made to protect the national interest.”
CHARLES OPPENHEIM LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
“I have mixed feelings. When you think of Cadbury, it is quite sad that the British ties have gone, but I am also a believer in the free market. Just as British companies can take over smaller ones around the world, so our firms should be subject to it.”
NEIL BURT BLUEFIN
“I think overseas takeovers can be a good thing for the economy, but it depends on what sort of companies they are. Larger companies that have a more international feel won’t be changed much by a foreign takeover. It’s sad, but that’s the way it works.”