Michael Smurfit: A Life Worth Living: The Autobiography

by Smurfit, Michael

ISBN: 9781781190128

Published: 2014

A Life Worth Living tells the story of Michael Smurfit and the company he built. From humble beginnings, through years of hard work, it documents the Smurfit Group's seemingly inexorable growth, the challenges faced and overcome, and the many deals that continually doubled the size of the business every three or four years. It shows Michael's 'logical opportunism' in action, and explains how the Smurfit culture and systems provided a world-beatingcompetitive advantage. Born in St Helens, Lancashire in August 1936, Michael Smurfit joined his father's business, Jefferson Smurfit & Sons Ltd. in Dublin, straight from school to learn the papermaking business 'from the bottom up'. Two years after the company floated on the Irish Stock Exchange, Michael and his brother Jeff became Joint Managing Directors, as Jefferson Senior took on the role of Chairman and Chief Executive. Then followed 30 years of acquisitions, as the Jefferson Smurfit Group became Ireland's first multinational company...