Margarita Louis-Dreyfus completes share buyout after family dispute
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus has completed the buy out of the Louis Dreyfus Company marking the conclusion of a long-running family shareholder dispute.
Louis-Dreyfus, the widow of Robert Louis-Dreyfus whose family founded the agricultural commodity traders in 1851, had aimed to increase her stake since the death of her husband a decade ago.
Read more: Family shareholder dispute at commodity trader Louis Dreyfus Company close to resolution
The transaction, which was estimated to cost up to $900m, brings the stake belonging to Louis-Dreyfus and her family trust Akira to 96.2 per cent.
She said: “The buy-out turns a page in the group’s history to a new and exciting chapter. I am extremely grateful for the incredible heritage that is ours today.
Read more: Louis Dreyfus announces sudden exit of chief executive and head of finance
“With a stable ownership structure in place, a clear strategy for our next growth phase and a strong management team, we are well positioned to write our next chapter and fulfil our purpose to create fair and sustainable value for the long term.”
A battle over her plans began in 2015 when family members tried to force the Russian-born heiress to buy their shares, however, the parties disagreed over the value of the shares.