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Todd Snyder ’84

Todd Snyder ’84 was named one of six Rainmakers of the Year in Institutional Investor (Dec. 2009/Jan. 2010). The feature focused on the people behind six of the world’s top 10 transactions, noting that the economic environment was “perhaps the ultimate challenge for dealmakers.” Considered “a top U.S.-based restructuring specialist at Rothschild,” Snyder had been selected to advise the U.S. government on how to handle the country’s difficulties within the auto industry. Then-Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez called Snyder on Thanksgiving Day 2008 to let him know that Rothschild had been selected the sole adviser to the government in the rescue—and for the next year, Snyder “slept with his Blackberry under his pillow,” so relentless and imperative was communication between negotiators. “We were trying to figure out how the administration could stabilize the industry and preserve as many jobs as possible, but, at the same time, make a prudent and recoverable investment of taxpayer money,” explains Snyder in the article and recalls that the most challenging talks centered on GM’s Opel/Vauxhall operations in Europe. A May 2008 meeting at Germany’s Chancellery building included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, her economic adviser Jens Weidmann, and GM representative John Smith, with then–GM CEO Fritz Henderson, U.S. Auto Task Force’s Ronald Bloom ’77, and Magna International CEO Frank Stronach participating via conference call. Now, Snyder is leading the financial advisory teams in the reorganizations of Tronox and Visteon.
Todd Snyder ’84 was named one of six Rainmakers of the Year in Institutional Investor (Dec. 2009/Jan. 2010). The feature focused on the people behind six of the world’s top 10 transactions, noting that the economic environment was “perhaps the ultimate challenge for dealmakers.” Considered “a top U.S.-based restructuring specialist at Rothschild,” Snyder had been selected to advise the U.S. government on how to handle the country’s difficulties within the auto industry. Then-Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez called Snyder on Thanksgiving Day 2008 to let him know that Rothschild had been selected the sole adviser to the government in the rescue—and for the next year, Snyder “slept with his Blackberry under his pillow,” so relentless and imperative was communication between negotiators. “We were trying to figure out how the administration could stabilize the industry and preserve as many jobs as possible, but, at the same time, make a prudent and recoverable investment of taxpayer money,” explains Snyder in the article and recalls that the most challenging talks centered on GM’s Opel/Vauxhall operations in Europe. A May 2008 meeting at Germany’s Chancellery building included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, her economic adviser Jens Weidmann, and GM representative John Smith, with then–GM CEO Fritz Henderson, U.S. Auto Task Force’s Ronald Bloom ’77, and Magna International CEO Frank Stronach participating via conference call. Now, Snyder is leading the financial advisory teams in the reorganizations of Tronox and Visteon.