Opening the flow of thoughts

A global leading spirits producer with world-renowned brands like Johnny Walker, Diageo took over Shui Jing Fang, a representative brand of traditional Chinese liquor bai jiu, last year. Well known as the master of M&A, the British company reportedly had a hard time in China, where M&A deals are heavily regulated and information on target companies is hard to obtain. Coca-Cola also sought to acquire Huiyuan, the country’s major juice supplier, but its attempt ended up in vain due to the government’s opposition. What would be the secret behind Diageo’s success in the deal?