The "Great Men" of Lazard Frères & Co.

André Meyer
The icily brilliant architect of Lazard's post-World War II resurrection, he was said to have loved three things only: stunning women, priceless art, and complex deals.

Felix Rohatyn
André's protégé, a refugee whose escape from Nazi-occupied France is the stuff of adventure novels. Considered by many to be the greatest investment banker who ever lived, he is credited with creating the mergers-and-acquisitions business and dominating it for decades. A complex man who longed to be considered a statesman and leading intellectual, his deal-making prowess made his Lazard partners rich—but as one of them said, "Working for Felix was a death sentence."

Michel David-Weill
The "Sun King" of Lazard, the last scion of the 150-year-old family-owned banking empire. Michel had absolute control over compensation—and everything else—at the firm. His Byzantine ways, grand lifestyle, and psychological games meant the firm revolved around him—until it all came apart at the seams and he turned to one of the most controversial men on Wall Street to save his birthright.

Steve Rattner
The Boy Wonder from Great Neck, Long Island, whose many talents—and love of the limelight—rivaled Felix's. Steve tried to save the firm from irrelevance, but his repeated clashes with Felix and Michel doomed his efforts.

Bill Loomis
The ultimate Lazard survivor, known for his lyrically written, perpetually ignored strategy memos and a series of mystifying promotions. His greatest triumph— being appointed CEO—was his undoing.

Bruce Wasserstein
Known as "Bid-Em Up Bruce" to his detractors, Bruce is one of the most creative bankers ever to work on Wall Street—but was his skill used in making good deals for his clients or enriching himself? His brute-force style horrified the suave old guard at Lazard. In Bruce, Michel had found his equal in Machiavellian ingenuity.