BusinessShell bosses woo US investors to get backing for $51 billion BG takeoverCampaign: Shell boss Ben van Beurden is holding conference calls with key US investorsShellRussell Lynch11 January 2016Royal Dutch Shell’s top bosses will bid to shore up US support for its $51 billion (£35 billion) takeover of BG Group this week as the clock ticks down a shareholder vote on January 27.The oil major’s chief executive Ben van Beurden and finance director Simon Henry are understood to have a series of conference calls with US investors lined up, after a similar campaign in London last week. The drive comes as an oil price plunging close to $30 a barrel fosters doubts over a deal. Management are desperate to focus on the longer term benefits but the cash-and-shares offer was worth $70 billion when announced last April.Read MoreChris Blackhurst: Why Shell and BG’s £47bn merger could pay dividendsShell's to axe another 2800 jobs after £46 billion BG dealShell’s sliding share price has wiped around $20 billion off the value of the offer. David Cumming, head of equities at Standard Life and a deal opponent, said: “A lot’s changed since the bid was announced in April last year - all of it negative.”MORE ABOUTOilShellBGMergers And Acquisitions
