But others disagree: misgivings about the deal seem to have prompted the resignation of Jim Leng, the company's chairman-designate.

ECONOMIST: Face value

Hong Leong Financial Group, a Malaysian lender controlled by the country's sixth-richest man Quek Leng Chan, in January offered to take its 79 percent-owned investment banking arm Hong Leong Capital private.

FORBES: Quek Leng Chan

Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd, a Malaysian lender controlled by the country's sixth-richest man Quek Leng Chan, in January offered to take its 79 percent-owned investment banking arm Hong Leong Capital Bhd private.

FORBES: Quek Leng Chan

Mr Tata would become the chairman of the combined group with Jim Leng as deputy chairman, but he intends to leave the running of Corus to its existing executives, in conjunction with an integration committee that he will head.

ECONOMIST: Why the Tata-Corus deal makes sense for both parties

In 1996, a group of Asian investors including Malaysian billionaire Quek Leng Chan of Hong Leong Malaysia, his Singaporean cousins who control Britain's listed Millennium Copthorne Hotels and Indonesian billionaire Liem Sioe Liong teamed up to buy over 21% of Brierley.

CNN: A glimpse into the future of Thai politics