Restructuring / Turnaround Strategies Case Study

Case Title:

Merrill Lynch: Reviving its Asian Business

Abstract:
Merrill Lynch & Co. was the first US brokerage firm to start its operations in Japan. Since the late 1960s, Merrill Lynch played a significant role in the development of the capital markets in the Asia Pacific region. It also became the first US financial management and advisory company to open an office in China. However, after the dotcom burst in the late 1990s followed by the September 11 th 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, Merrill Lynch was forced to streamline its international operations significantly in the Asia-Pacific region. Since 2004-2005, it has again started looking out for more business partnerships to revive its fortunes in Asia.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To highlight the growth as well as the subsequent decline of Merrill Lynch in Asia
• To discuss the revival strategies of Merrill Lynch for its Asian business.

Keywords :  Merrill Lynch; Goldman sachs; Growth strategies; Competition; Morgan Stanley; Lehman Brothers; Charles Schwab; Revival strategies; Financial market in Asia; On-line trading; Restructuring / Turnaround Strategies Case Study; Acquisitions and partnerships; Brokerage scandals; Investors; Restructuring strategies; Challenges for Merrill Lynch