Author Guide · Business Journalism
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In 2007 ABN AMRO, one of the biggest banks in Europe, was carved up by a consortium of rivals in the largest bank takeover in history, months before the financial crisis. Jeroen Smit persuaded the bankers involved to talk to him and reconstructed how a proud Dutch institution became, in his word, the prey. He had done the same for the collapse of the supermarket giant Ahold, and later did it for Unilever's battle under its chief executive Paul Polman. His books have sold more than 400,000 copies in the Netherlands. This guide covers all three of his books in order, and where to start.
By Lisanne Swart · 3 books · Business journalism · 2004–2019 · Updated October 2026
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Quick answer
Jeroen Smit has published three books, each a reconstruction of a crisis at a major Dutch company: Het drama Ahold (2004), De prooi (2008), about the fall of ABN AMRO, and Het grote gevecht (2019), about Unilever under Paul Polman. Only De prooi has an English edition, The Perfect Prey.
Where to Start with Jeroen Smit
If you want the famous one
→ De prooi (2008).
If you want the most recent
→ Het grote gevecht & het eenzame gelijk van Paul Polman (2019).
If you want where it started
→ Het drama Ahold (2004).
All 3 Jeroen Smit Books, in Order
Het drama Ahold
No English edition · available in Dutch
A reconstruction of the collapse of Ahold, the Dutch supermarket group, after the accounting scandal of 2003, based on conversations with those directly involved.
De prooi
How ABN AMRO, once one of the largest banks in the world, was taken over and split up in 2007 by a consortium of Royal Bank of Scotland, Fortis and Santander, told through the bankers involved, who agreed to talk to Smit. It became a stage play and a television drama series. In English it is The Perfect Prey.
Het grote gevecht & het eenzame gelijk van Paul Polman
No English edition · available in Dutch
How Paul Polman, chief executive of Unilever from 2009 to 2019, tried to make the company a force for good, fought off a takeover bid from Kraft Heinz and failed to move its headquarters to the Netherlands.
How Many Books Did Jeroen Smit Write?
Three books between 2004 and 2019, one of them available in English.
- Business — Het drama Ahold, De prooi and Het grote gevecht. Read the entries →
In What Order to Read Jeroen Smit
His books are not a series, but read in order they trace twenty years of Dutch business, from the Ahold scandal to the ABN AMRO takeover and the debate over what companies are for.
A reading path
1. De prooi (2008)
2. Het grote gevecht (2019)
3. Het drama Ahold (2004)
Quick facts about Jeroen Smit
- Born
- 1963
- Studied
- Sociology and business administration, University of Groningen
- Career
- Business journalist; former professor of journalism
- Prizes
- Managementboek van het Jaar; Machiavelliprijs (2009)
- Sales
- More than 400,000 copies of his books sold
- In English
- The Perfect Prey, translated from De prooi
- Books
- 3, from 2004 to 2019
How Jeroen Smit Works: Reconstruction
Smit reconstructs corporate crises from the inside, persuading executives and board members who normally say nothing to tell him what happened in the boardroom.
He writes like a novelist, with an all-knowing narrator, scenes and characters, but his real subject is leadership: how successful people lose touch with their customers and start believing their own truth.
Frequently asked questions about Jeroen Smit's books
How many books has Jeroen Smit written?
Jeroen Smit has published three books: Het drama Ahold (2004), De prooi (2008) and Het grote gevecht (2019).
Is De prooi available in English?
Yes. De prooi (2008), about the fall of ABN AMRO, was published in English as The Perfect Prey. His other books are available in Dutch.
What is De prooi about?
De prooi (2008) reconstructs how the Dutch bank ABN AMRO was taken over and broken up by a consortium of rival banks in 2007.
Footnotes
Bibliography last verified 1 October 2026.
This list was not put together by a machine.
The notes are all mine,
and the books are all his.
Lisanne x
Written by Lisanne Swart, who has curated reading lists and author guides at lisanneswart.com since 2021.
See more on her personal bookshelf.
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