As cement maker Boral’s independent directors put the finishing touches on what is sure to be a carefully worded takeover response, a familiar face has started a separate guerilla campaign targeting potential family office buyers.

Stockbroker Aitken Mount, a small shop in Paddington in Sydney’s inner east, is fishing around for a family office or two to step in and keep Boral independent to suitor and major shareholder Seven Group, according to a presentation seen by this column.