Masters in Business · Friday, September 25, 2026
Adam Frank recounts the chaotic period leading up to J.P. Morgan's acquisition of Bear Stearns in March 2008. He describes the surreal atmosphere as employees continued working despite knowing the firm was likely to fail, highlighting the human element amidst institutional collapse.
“And by Sunday, it was a done deal. And 8 o'clock Sunday night, we got the, we were on a Zoom call with Jamie and Bill Harrison and the people on the operating committee for J.P. Morgan and the Bayer operating committee saying, we've reached a deal. We've sold to J.P. Morgan because we didn't know if we were coming into work on Monday.”
“So Friday, you see people were taking the Aeron chairs and using them as dollies to take their boxes out.”
“This is the most bizarre time I've lived through in a business sense.”