In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 703 It was settled in just a few words; that's the influence of the super-rich.
Throughout the day, Huanyu Investment Company, led by Su Zhixue, increased its stake in Motorola by another 3.15%.

Compared to the previous day, the number of shares absorbed was much greater.

After all, they had only absorbed 1.32% the day before.

The reason is simple: after two days of pessimistic pronouncements from the media and economic experts, coupled with the extended lottery period from Hong Kong, the number of shareholders selling Motorola shares today is clearly greater than yesterday.

Motorola's stock price has fallen by nearly 15% compared to yesterday's closing price.

There are even occasional large orders for stocks that suddenly appear, which clearly indicates that some investment institutions are also getting restless and want to make a move in advance.

Furthermore, the fact that Quantum Fund has not yet started increasing its holdings has given Huanyu Investment Company an excellent opportunity.

Taking advantage of the chaos, they acquired a full 3.15% of the shares in a single day, without attracting anyone's attention, including the Quantum Fund.

Adding the 1.32% stake acquired the previous day, and the 5.23% already held, Lin Haoran has unknowingly amassed a 9.7% stake in Motorola, bringing his total to nearly 10%.

This shareholding would even rank second among Motorola shareholders.

As for Quantum Fund, they are not as wealthy as Universal Investments. Their total capital is only a few hundred million US dollars, which includes the value of stocks in many high-quality companies.

As for cash flow, we can come up with tens of millions of dollars, leverage it several times, and making one or two hundred million dollars is not a problem.

However, a few hundred million dollars is not enough to cause much of a stir when facing Motorola, whose total market value is close to 40 billion dollars.

In addition, Soros, who is always cautious, did not dare to gamble too much.

Therefore, with limited funds, Soros's goal is to make a full-scale attack at the lowest possible price, using limited funds to leverage the greatest possible effect.

However, Soros never expected that while he was waiting for the best opportunity, Huanyu Investment had already quietly accumulated a large number of shares.

The stock market has closed, and Soros has already convened a meeting with senior executives.

However, Soros frowned as he looked at the Motorola stock trading data in his hand.

There were indeed many orders for Motorola today, and the price drop was about what they expected, but the trading volume was much higher than they had anticipated.

"Could it be that so many people are optimistic about Motorola's prospects, or are betting that Motorola's new product pre-sales are going very well? Or are other investors secretly buying in at rock-bottom prices?" Soros stared at the data report, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the table.

Now is not the time of advanced technology in the future. If we were to move to 20 or 30 years from now, their team would definitely be able to detect that multiple offshore shell companies registered in the Cayman Islands have purchased a large number of shares in batches through different brokers and the secondary market of exchanges, with a total scale that may exceed US$100 million.

But in this era where even computers are not yet widespread, Soros's team can only rely on manual statistics and limited electronic data, making it impossible to track these secret transactions scattered around the world in real time.

Inside the conference room, chief analyst Thomson also frowned and said, "Mr. George, we carefully reviewed today's trading records. Each trade was very scattered, with very few large-scale inflows. It looks like retail investor activity."

“Retail investors?” Soros scoffed, clearly disagreeing with the assessment. “With everyone bearish on Motorola, what retail investor could possibly buy up nearly 4% of the outstanding shares in a single trading day? According to our estimates this morning, we'd be lucky if the buy orders reached 1%. This is clearly organized, large-scale accumulation!”

Trading director Williams hesitated, "Could it be Motorola buying back its own shares? After all, the stock price has fallen so much..."

"Impossible!" Soros denied with absolute certainty. "Motorola's cash flow is almost entirely invested in research and development; where would they get the money for buybacks?"

"Since it's not Motorola repurchasing the shares, could it be that some organization is doing the same thing as us?" the chief analyst murmured.

However, no matter how much they discussed it, they were destined to never find out what caused Motorola's sales volume to be several times higher than they had expected.

With two days of decline, Motorola's market value has fallen from around $49 billion a few days ago to around $34 billion, a drop that is absolutely the most significant among the many giants in the United States.

Even Motorola's top management didn't expect that a press conference in collaboration with Hong Kong, and the commercialization of a technological product that should have attracted global attention, would have caused Motorola's stock price to soar.

But now, instead of rising sharply, it has fallen sharply.

All of this left Motorola's top management with no worries.

Of course, they also knew that the reservation data from Hong Kong was not something they could disclose without their partners' knowledge before the reservation data was officially released.

Moreover, this matter must be decided by President Robert Galvin.

Meanwhile, Motorola President Robert Galvin was still over the Pacific Ocean, on his way back to Chicago, and was completely unaware of the matter.

In the blink of an eye, another day has passed, and it's now the third day of the press conference, August 17th.

Hong Kong, Connaught Building.

Lin Haoran was listening to Cui Zilong's report.

Li Jiacheng and others did indeed take some action.

However, it's clear that even if they wanted to take action, it wouldn't be possible to do so in a short time.

After all, uniting all the luxury hotels in Hong Kong except for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is not something that can be accomplished in a day or two.

As for discussing the acquisition of shares from Liang Zhonghao, the major shareholder of Xiangjiang Hotel, Lin Haoran was not in a hurry.

Now, these people are secretly plotting to unite against him; acquiring him too early would be pointless.

It would be quite interesting if, after they unite, they suddenly discover that the most important member of the alliance, the Xiangjiang Hotel, has been swallowed up by their rival.

Thinking of this, Lin Haoran's lips curled into a playful smile.

He put down his teacup and instructed Cui Zilong, "Keep an eye on them, especially the movements of Li Jiacheng, Brown, and Laurence Kadoorie."

In his view, it must have been these two who started it.

"Yes, boss. Don't worry, we have already planted many of our informants in Cheung Kong Holdings, Hutchison Whampoa, Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC Bank, CLP Power and other companies. We can keep track of the movements of both Li Ka-shing and Mr. Brown at any time."

"Furthermore, even if they are outside the reach of our informants, we can still use the numerous members of the 13K distributed throughout Hong Kong to keep track of their movements at any time," Cui Zilong said with a smile.

The 13K triad is one of the three major triads in Hong Kong that has submitted to Lin Haoran, and has done a lot for Lin Haoran in the past two years.

Whether it's Li Jiacheng, Brown, or Laurence Kadoorie, finding out their whereabouts and where they were that day is very simple; just keep an eye on their license plates, and you'll know where they've been.

"Yes, I'll have to trouble you these next few days. This matter is very important to me. You must keep a close eye on them and report to me immediately if anything unexpected happens!" Lin Haoran nodded and said.

Cui Zilong nodded in agreement, then added, "Boss, there's another piece of news. Last night, Mr. Henry Keswick, the head of Jardine Matheson, secretly met with Mr. Feng Jianguo, the owner behind the Raffles Hotel. The two had a private conversation at the Raffles Hotel for nearly two hours before Henry Keswick left. This information came from the Guo family's intelligence agency in Southeast Asia."

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran murmured, "It seems these people know about my plan to acquire the Raffles Hotel. Is Jardine Matheson trying to get involved?"

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he lightly tapped his fingers on the mahogany desk. "Interesting. It seems our opponent is more astute than we imagined."

“Boss, as far as I know, Mr. Feng Jianguo is not actually the true owner of Raffles Hotel. Temasek Holdings is the real controller. Mr. Feng Jianguo is just a board representative of Temasek Holdings, specifically responsible for the management of Raffles Hotel. If you want to acquire Raffles Hotel, this information may be useful to you,” Cui Zilong reminded him.

"So, the Raffles Hotel is actually controlled by the Singapore government now?" Lin Haoran asked, looking up.

Ma Shimin had not mentioned this matter to Lin Haoran, only that the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group wanted to acquire Raffles Hotel in Singapore. As far as Ma Shimin knew, Lin Haoran would not normally want to know too many details.

“Yes, Raffles Hotel is 100% owned by Temasek Holdings, a Singapore state-owned enterprise,” Cui Zilong nodded and said.

"Okay, I understand. You can go do your thing now." Lin Haoran waved his hand.

After Cui Zilong left, Lin Haoran's previously furrowed brows relaxed.

If Raffles Hotel is controlled by Temasek Holdings, then it's actually quite easy to handle.

The Singapore Economic Development Board has invited him to visit Singapore on multiple occasions.

The reason is simple: in the past two years, Lin Haoran has become the largest investor in Singapore.

He has made huge investments in Southeast Asia, and the Southeast Asian headquarters of most of his branches are located in Singapore.

This is why Lin Haoran has considerable influence in both political and business circles in Singapore.

Although Singapore has gradually developed and is developing at a very rapid pace, its economic strength is still far behind that of Hong Kong.

This is why so many wealthy people from Southeast Asia have flocked to Hong Kong to invest and develop their businesses.

In everyone's opinion, Hong Kong has a better prospect for development.

Putting aside other matters, the Guo family, which had been doing very well in Singapore and Malaysia, is now investing heavily in Hong Kong with huge sums of money. This investment is almost exceeding the total amount they have invested in Southeast Asia.

What this means is clear to any normal person.

This signifies that the Kwok family is gradually shifting its focus to Hong Kong.

Besides Guo Henan, many other wealthy people from Singapore have also gone to Hong Kong. For example, Mr. Huang Yanfang, the owner of Far East Organization, the largest private real estate company in Singapore, is now making great strides in his investments in Hong Kong. Sino Land, which he established in Hong Kong, is already among the top ten real estate companies in Hong Kong.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Haoran picked up the landline on his desk and dialed a number. It was an overseas call to Singapore.

The call was answered shortly afterward.

"Hello Mr. Liu, this is Lin Haoran from Hong Kong," Lin Haoran said with a hearty laugh after the call was connected.

"It's Mr. Lin! What a rare guest!" came the enthusiastic voice of Mr. Liu from the Economic Development Bureau on the other end of the phone. "How come you, such a busy person, have time to call me?"

Lin Haoran smiled slightly: "Mr. Liu, regarding Raffles Holdings, I think we need to discuss this. I've heard that Jardine Matheson is also in contact with Temasek?"

Mr. Liu's laughter came from the other end of the phone: "Mr. Lin's information network is indeed excellent, but rest assured, Singapore prefers to cooperate with old friends like you."

The other party clearly understood Lin Haoran's purpose immediately.

After all, they had never originally intended to sell the Raffles Hotel, which had become a landmark of Singapore.

It was only later, considering Lin Haoran's large-scale investments in Singapore, that they gradually softened their stance.

As for Jardine Matheson, it has also invested a considerable amount in Singapore, but compared to Lin Haoran's investment, it is simply insignificant.

Therefore, even though Henry Keswick, the head of Jardine Matheson, personally visited the Raffles Hotel, Singapore never considered selling it to Jardine Matheson.

After all, from Singapore's perspective, Jardine Matheson was not worth Singapore making concessions on its own.

Lin Haoran gently put down his teacup, held the telephone receiver in his left hand, and continued, "Mr. Liu, I plan to double the scale of Hongkong Land Group's investment in Singapore over the next three years, including real estate, retail, and trade, with an additional investment of at least US$5 million."

There was a noticeable pause of a few seconds on the other end of the phone, followed by Mr. Liu's voice, which was noticeably more enthusiastic: "Mr. Lin, this proposal is very exciting, but regarding Raffles Holdings..."

"100% of the shares, for $1 million to acquire Raffles Holdings," Lin Haoran decisively stated. "Furthermore, I will prioritize all future investments in Southeast Asia, with headquarters located in Singapore."

“This…” Mr. Liu seemed to be quickly calculating something, “Mr. Lin, as you know, the Raffles Hotel is our iconic property…”

“Let me add one more condition.” Lin Haoran’s lips curled into a slight smile. “I plan to build a skyscraper in Singapore that is over 300 meters tall. Once completed, it will become a landmark building in the entire Southeast Asia.”

These words struck like a hammer blow, and the sound of papers turning over came from the other end of the phone.

Three seconds later, Mr. Liu's hearty laughter rang out: "Mr. Lin, you're truly decisive! Alright, we'll go with the price you mentioned, but with one condition—you must guarantee that these investments will be in place within three years."

"Deal!" Lin Haoran said decisively. "I'll send Mr. Ma Shimin over tomorrow to sign the agreement."

"Mr. Lin, it's a pleasure to cooperate with you!" Mr. Liu said with a hearty laugh, clearly indicating that the other party was in a very good mood.

Although Singapore's economy has developed rapidly due to its geographical location, its land area is limited and high-rise buildings are scarce. It has always longed for a landmark skyscraper to enhance its international image.

Lin Haoran's proposal hit the Singapore government right where it hurt.

Today, the tallest building in Singapore is the OCBC Bank Tower, which is only 198 meters tall, less than 200 meters.

In addition, the fact that many wealthy people from Southeast Asia have gone to Hong Kong to invest has put the Singapore government under considerable pressure.

Lin Haoran's investment commitment undoubtedly gave Singapore a strong boost.

Even if Lin Haoran had no intention of building Singapore's tallest building, the other party would have agreed after a moment's hesitation.

For Lin Haoran, even without the acquisition of Raffles Hotel, he would still invest heavily in Singapore.

After all, as a time traveler, he was very clear about how glorious Singapore's future economy would be.

He began investing heavily in Singapore in the 80s, and the returns for him in the future will be absolutely astonishing.

Building the tallest building in Singapore will undoubtedly make the surrounding area the most prosperous core area in Singapore for decades to come, which will bring him many benefits.

The acquisition of Raffles Holdings for $100 million is neither high nor low; it's just the market price.

The price of over HK$500 million is not expensive for Lin Haoran; it's quite worthwhile.

After all, Temasek will sell Raffles Holdings (including Raffles Hotels and Swissôtel) to Colony Capital of the United States for US$10 billion in the future.

The current price of $1 million is reasonable, even considering future inflation.

The acquisition, which Ma Shimin had negotiated for more than two months, was settled by Lin Haoran with just a few words.

This is the power of being Singapore's largest investor.

The investment proposals Lin Haoran put forward were not even considered conditions in his eyes; he had planned to do them even without discussing them with the other party.

Singapore desperately needed his investment, and he also set his sights on Raffles Holdings. The two sides hit it off immediately and easily reached an agreement.

As for Henry Keswick of Jardine Matheson, he probably never imagined that Lin Hao would persuade the top leader of Singapore so soon after he went to meet with the head of Raffles Holdings.

Outside the door, Ma Shimin's secretary happened to walk past the window of Lin Haoran's office.

He called out to the secretary directly: "Go and call Mr. Ma to my office."

"Yes, boss, I'll go get General Manager Ma right away." The secretary quickly left Lin Haoran's door.

Soon, Ma Shimin arrived at Lin Haoran's office.

"Boss, you wanted to see me?" Ma Shimin didn't stand on ceremony and pulled up a chair for himself.

"Yes, you're going to Singapore tomorrow," Lin Haoran said with a smile.

"Going to Singapore? Boss, do you mean to speed up the negotiations with Raffles Hotel?" Upon hearing this, Ma Shimin quickly thought of this.

"The reason I sent you to Singapore is indeed related to the Raffles Hotel, but you don't need to negotiate. I've already finalized it: one hundred million US dollars to acquire the entire Raffles Holdings Company," Lin Haoran laughed.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Haoran recounted his phone conversation with Mr. Liu from Singapore to Ma Shimin in detail.

After listening, Ma Shimin couldn't help but exclaim, "Boss, it really took your personal intervention to resolve this matter with just a few words. You know, they had offered $1.5 million before, but you managed to get it for $1 million."

Lin Haoran smiled slightly: "Sometimes, the key to negotiation isn't the price, but what you can offer the other party."

Ma Shih-min nodded thoughtfully: "The boss is right. What Singapore needs most right now isn't the extra $5000 million, but a sustained commitment to investment."

Although Singapore enjoys a unique geographical location, its land area is limited and resources are scarce. What it craves most is long-term investment from visionary investors like Lim Hao Ran.

Moreover, other investors do not have the financial strength that Lin Haoran possesses.

Therefore, Singapore welcomes wealthy people like Lim Hao Ran very much.

“Oh, right,” Lin Haoran suddenly remembered something, “when you go to Singapore, take the opportunity to check out the land in Marina Bay. I’m planning to have Hongkong Land build a skyscraper there that’s over 350 meters tall.”

Ma Shih-min's eyes lit up: "350 meters? That'll be almost twice as tall as the current OCBC Building! Boss, once this project is completed, it will become a new landmark for the entire Southeast Asia!"

Lin Haoran nodded: "That's right. This project will not only enhance our influence in Singapore, but also drive up the value of surrounding real estate. With the land we've already acquired, we can definitely develop our own central business district in Singapore."

“Boss, I’ll only be in Singapore for a couple of days at most. After all, Li Ka-shing, Brown and others are eyeing Hongkong Land Group very closely. In addition, Longwei Group is at a critical stage of development right now, and I need to personally oversee the progress of the acquisitions of many fast-moving consumer goods brands.” Ma Shimin frowned.

At this moment, it is indeed not advisable for him to leave Hong Kong for too long; he needs to take charge of the overall situation in Hong Kong.

The Hongkong Land Group is far too large, nearly half the size of the group before Lin Haoran acquired it.

“Then take the best planning team from Hongkong Land Group to Singapore and let them stay there for a while to get the preliminary work done. After you finish the acquisition of Raffles Holdings, come back!” Lin Haoran said after thinking for a moment.

"Okay, boss, I'll arrange it right away!" Ma Shimin said, and then left the office impatiently.

Once the acquisition of Raffles Holdings is completed, the strength of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will be greatly enhanced. As one of the important wholly-owned subsidiaries of Hongkong Land Group, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is naturally of great interest to Hongkong Land Group President Simon Murray.

After Ma Shimin left, Lin Haoran stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling scene of Victoria Harbour.

As the sun sets, the entire Hong Kong is bathed in a golden glow.

He gently swirled the wine in his glass, but his thoughts had already drifted to a faraway place.

These have been truly turbulent times!

Brown and his associates were still determined to target him. In the United States, he was still making moves to acquire Motorola, the acquisition in Singapore had just been finalized, and the expansion of the Langwei Group was at a critical stage. The expansion of the Langwei Group also involved the interests of Southern Company, the parent company of 711-Eleven.

Lin Haoran took a sip of hot tea, his gaze gradually becoming deep.

(End of this chapter)