A good series of examples is in the book "Barbarians at the Gate", chronicling the career of F Ross Johnson. His company would get acquired and then he and his folks would outmanoeuvre the acquiring company management.

NeXt leadership completely overtook Apple. I don't know if it ended up panning out.

US Air buying American Airlines just to become American Airlines, is one of my (least) favorites

I enjoyed Lights Out: Pride, Delusion, and the Fall of General Electric by Ted Mann and Thomas Gryta