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Since Starboard Value LP was spun off as a separate hedge fund just over two years ago it has been fast gaining a reputation for aggressive shareholder activism, pushing for change in household names including AOL and Office Depot Inc .Initially investing in small cap value companies, Starboard quickly gained a reputation in Silicon Valley as a corporate raider, targeting mostly technology companies including Agilysys Inc , Openwave Systems and Extreme Networks Inc among several others.But more recently the New York-based hedge fund has had an appetite for more diverse and larger companies, with its latest campaign focused on the world's largest pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc , in a move that could scupper China's biggest takeover of an American company.Consistent with its strategy - pushing for asset sales and spin offs to board and management shake-ups - the fund is pushing Smithfield to explore a breakup rather than go ahead with the planned $4.7 billion sale to Chinese meat com...

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