Billionaire Nat Rothschild and Indonesia’s Bakrie family caught in Twitter war after mining deal goes sour

WHEN a business deal goes bad, things get messy. When it’s billionaires on Twitter, it’s even worse. Check out this very public battle of the billionaires.

Billionaire Nat Rothschild has unleashed on Twitter after a business deal went sour.

BUSINESS partners tend to limit their disagreements to the boardroom. With the happiness of their shareholders in mind, it doesn’t pay to air dirty laundry in public.

So when two of the world’s foremost tycoons began venting anger at each other publicly, it was bound to attract attention.

British financier Nat Rothschild joined forces with Indonesia’s Bakrie family in 2010 with the ambitious plan to create a blue chip, UK-listed mining company.

But with coal prices falling and allegations of financial irregularities, the company had lost half its value by 2012. By the time talks started about a possible split, its shares had lost 80% of their value, public reports show.

In December, shareholders voted for separation and on Tuesday, the final details were agreed.

So while the celebrity-focused world watched as Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin announced their “conscious uncoupling,” business circles were preoccupied by a very different — and very public — split.

The two tycoons took to Twitter to vent their feelings about the failed partnership, and what followed was a quite spectacular exchange of words.

Judge for yourself:

@agabakrie7 thanks for buying back a worthless pile of turd. I look forward to watching bumi Tbk trading to zero like bnbr, btel, etc

— Nat Rothschild (@NatRothschild1) March 25, 2014

@agabakrie7 what about protect minority shareholders from Bakrie? Why is investing 1.2b into Indo bad for indonesia you dumb schmuck?!

— Nat Rothschild (@NatRothschild1) March 25, 2014

@agabakrie7 whilst your dad is an evil genius (yes I'm paying nirwan a compliment) , the word on the street is that you are extremely DUMB!

— Nat Rothschild (@NatRothschild1) March 25, 2014

@NatRothschild1 haha... "Dumb" I believe thats the word that has been associated with you by most of the people that i have met

— Aga Bakrie (@agabakrie7) March 25, 2014

@NatRothschild1 Indonesia is an amazing investment haven make no mistake...Its only bad when a minority try to take control by dirty trick

— Aga Bakrie (@agabakrie7) March 25, 2014