Alinta: What a year it's been - already

Nineteen days into January, and Western Australia's third biggest public industrial company has packed in more boardroom action than most journalists could hope for over a whole year.

A time-line of the story of the year, so far, follows:

4 January: Alinta Ltd merger partner AGL Energy Ltd confirms it has made a preliminary approach to smaller rival Origin Energy about a $14 billion merger.

9 January: Alinta receives a management buyout proposal from senior executives including its chairman and chief executive. In an announcement, the company says the MBO group - chairman John Poynton, chief executive Bob Browning, Business Development General Manager Chris Indermaur, chief financial officer Stephen Pearce and General Counsel Murray King - is being advised by Macquarie Bank.

9 January: John Poynton stands aside as company chairman, being replaced by John Akehurst.

10 January: Standard & Poor's puts Alinta on a negative credit watch

11 January: Alinta announces acquisition of 94.1 per cent of former subsidiary and takeover target Alinta Infrastructure Holdings Ltd.

11 January: Bob Browning announces resignation as CEO, saying he is "sensitive to concerns expressed in recent days" over the integrity of the MBO process. Peter Magarry is appointed as acting CEO.

12 January: In a very short statement, Alinta announces that former chairman John Poynton has resigned from the board, with their support.

15 January: Alinta shares hit a high of $13.72, up from around $11 the previous week.

16 January: Alinta confirms Mr Browning he has been excluded from the process to manage other expressions of interest in the company, following his suggestion that investment firm Babcock & Brown may make a bid.

16 January: Alinta terminates all future association with Macquarie Bank due to its alignment with the buyout group

17 January: Alinta appoints Yasmin Broughton as acting general counsel and company secretary, and Ian Wells as acting chief financial officer, temporarily replacing Mr King and Mr Pearce respectively.

19 January: Alinta releases announcement stating it remains on good terms with Macquarie Bank.

19 January: Alinta closes trade ahead of the weekend at $13.81.