I acknowledge with gratitude the help of Andrea O’Connell, Wyc Grousbeck, Richard Pops, Henrique M. L. Gregorio, and Barron Emile Eyraud, who gave willingly of their time and made the calls that set the ball rolling. In San Francisco, Mitch Whiteford, Michael Graham, David Golden, and Cristina Morgan showed me the inside of the tech banking world. In New York, I owe a debt of thanks to Jeffrey Zorek, Richard Cunningham, Paul Meeks, David Ballard, Kevin Keys, Christine Walton, and Derek Reisfield. Murray Teitelbaum shepherded me around the New York Stock Exchange and had an answer to every question. In Moscow, Alexander Poudov was a guide par excellence. Andrew Jack of the Financial Times gave me a cup of hot tea and steered me through the treacherous alleys of the Russian oligarchy. As always, I can’t thank my wife, Sue, enough for her patience and interest in my work. Bill Massey, my brilliant editor at Bantam Dell, hounded me tirelessly and the book is the better for it. Thank you, Bill. My thanks also to Martin Fletcher at Headline in London for his support and unwavering good taste. Irwyn Applebaum and Nita Taublib oversaw every aspect of the work from beginning to end. It is a privilege to work with such talented and energetic professionals. I am lucky to have one of the finest literary agents in the business and his colleagues working on my behalf. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to Richard Pine, Sarah Piel, and Lori Andiman at Arthur Pine Associates.
Lastly, I would like to thank my brother, Bill, who is always there with a kind word, solid advice, and a ready ear. You’re one in a billion.