Reborn as a Hong Kong Tycoon

Chapter 641 Report and Bottom Line (Two in One)

At around six o'clock in the evening, Lin Baicheng learned from Chen Huixiang that Wei Li had contacted him.But because Wei Li said that the matter was not urgent, he didn't contact Wei Li right away.

In the afternoon, Lin Baicheng took Zhong Chuhong to camp outside.

When Lin Baicheng just won Zhong Chuhong, because of the relationship between the Spring Festival and his birthday, he didn't have much time to accompany Zhong Chuhong. When he has time later, he will naturally have to compensate Zhong Chuhong more.

Lin Baicheng and Zhong Chuhong first went to Hehuang Hotel to have dinner together, and then returned to the villa where Zhong Chuhong lived.

International calls are not made whenever you want, you need to get the corresponding line. Fortunately, the villas that Lin Baicheng bought have international lines, and you can make international calls.

"Hong, I'm going to get busy for a while beforehand. It may be a long time, you can watch TV or something."

After returning to the villa, Lin Baicheng said to Zhong Chuhong.

"Well, go get busy."

Zhong Chuhong knew about this, and she was beside Chen Huixiang when she reported it.

Lin Baicheng went upstairs to make a phone call to contact Wei Li in London.

"Boss Lin, it's me, Wei Li."

After a while, Wei Li's voice rang on the phone.

Lin Baicheng asked in response: "You called me, but what do you want to report?"

Wayley said: "Yes, we have completed the research work on Bentley Motors."

"Then report to me."

After Lin Baicheng finished speaking, Wei Li began to report.

About 10 to minutes passed after this report, and Lin Baicheng also had a general understanding of Bentley Motors after listening to it.If you want to know more details, you must go to Bentley to see it in person. You can't understand it clearly just by listening to the report.

"Boss Lin, just a few hours ago."

After reporting the results of Bentley's research, Wei Li also shared the interviews between Thyssen White and Wendana Thompson.

"In this way, the trouble of buying Bentley Motors is not small."

Lin Baicheng was not too surprised after hearing this. After all, Hutchison Whampoa belongs to the colonial Xiangjiang company, and the controlling shareholder is a Chinese, and he is still a Chinese with an attitude towards the mainland. Expansion in England is not so easy, let alone the acquisition of Bentley Motors.

There are conditions and restrictions, this is normal.

Wei Li said aloud: "Mr. Lin, not only is the trouble of acquiring Bentley Motors not small, but even if we want to invest in other industries, unless the acquired company itself has many problems, otherwise we still have to acquire a company that is not in good condition. balance."

"I understand this truth, but I think if the companies we acquire are not high-quality assets and important industries such as automobile manufacturing, then it won't be too difficult for us to come to England. After all, we can choose not to invest."

Lin Baicheng was not surprised by what Wei Li said. He thought for a while and said: "Our first target is Bentley Motors. If it really doesn't work, we will change the acquisition target. However, Bentley Motors is very good, yes, but the associated The burden is too heavy, and if Hutchison Whampoa really accepts the order, the loss will be too great, and the gain outweighs the loss."

"Wei Li, please help me to refer to it. The cars that Bentley manufactures now are high-end cars. With Bentley's situation, can they manufacture mid-to-low-end cars?"

"Mr. Lin, with Bentley's technology, it is natural to be able to manufacture mid- and low-end cars, but high-end cars are more profitable, and the competition in the mid- and low-end car market is very serious. Many mid- and low-end car companies want to enter the high-end car market but cannot. We There is no reason for Bentley to enter the low-end market instead."

"Of course I don't want to give up the high-end car market, I want Bentley to take care of the middle and low-end market."

"If this is the case, then Bentley can create a new brand and use this brand to enter the middle and low-end market. But in this case, the middle and low-end cars must not be purely handmade like high-end cars, and the company needs to invest a lot of money in R&D and establishment of new factories will increase the number of employees, and if the sales of new cars are not good, the pressure on Bentley and Hutchison will be great."

"Funding is not a problem. Hutchison is not short of money now. As long as there is no problem with the investment itself and I can see the possibility of making profits in the future, then I can accept even a one-time investment of one billion US dollars. But the acquisition of non-performing assets, taking the burden and being taken advantage of , I cannot easily accept such a thing.”

Lin Baicheng expressed his attitude. During the call with Wei Li, he actually suspected in his heart that the call between the two was being monitored, so he would not say some things, and he would say some words with a firm attitude.

Of course, it is also possible that Lin Baicheng thought too much, and the conversation between the two was not monitored, but it is always right to be careful.

"Boss Lin, what you said is true."

Hearing what Lin Baicheng said, Wei Li naturally had no choice but to agree.

"Wei Li, you said that when we are building a new factory, can we arrange some employees from other companies to work in the new factory, so that the burden on those companies will be reduced. After the number of employees drops to a certain level, I think we should The company will be liquidated.”

Lin Baicheng outlined his thoughts and asked Wei Li for reference.

"The salaries of employees in automobile companies are higher than those in most industries, so employees who are transferred to the new factory are unlikely to object, or even wish to do so. However, automobile manufacturing is a precision operation after all, and the requirements for employees will be relatively high. Not all employees are eligible."

"What's more, we have to negotiate this condition with the prime minister first. Otherwise, if we do it ourselves, if the prime minister is not satisfied, then we will be in trouble."

"Finally, it will take a year, or even two years or more, from the construction of the new factory to the start of work. During this period, those employees are the burden of Hutchison, and our losses will be very large. big."

"There are tens of thousands of employees, and the salaries to be paid each year alone cost two to three hundred million Hong Kong dollars. If the company's factories are in operation, producing products, and the products are unsalable, the loss will only be greater, and the annual loss will be one billion Hong Kong dollars. Neither is impossible."

Wei Li analyzed and expressed his concerns.He is on the side of Hutchison Whampoa, because he is a minority shareholder of Hutchison Whampoa, and the stocks he got for equity incentives are still in the restricted period. If Hutchison Whampoa does not develop well in the next few years and the stock price plummets, then His loss is great.

"First of all, it is absolutely impossible to accept tens of thousands of employees. If the prime minister does not make concessions, then forget about the acquisition of Bentley Motors, and we will change the target."

"You find time to talk to Mr Thompson in the Prime Minister's Office, the maximum number of employees we can accept is 8000 people, and it is best to increase the number to 5000 people."

"Whether it is 8000 or 5000 people, the prime minister must agree to our employee diversion plan and agree that we will transfer the employees of the relevant companies to other companies. We are not trying to make workers lose their jobs, but just let them change jobs. That’s all, maybe the salary of employees will be higher.”

"For layoffs, the prime minister must give us a certain number of layoffs. In fact, we are similar to foreign companies. People are different. Most workers only want a stable job, but some people may cause trouble, or We will kick out such employees who don’t work hard, otherwise it will only lead to bad team, so we need the Prime Minister to give a certain number of layoffs, and kick out those who don’t work seriously, which is very important.”

"What's more, we don't want the messy debts of related companies. What we want is a company with clear debts. At the same time, since we have taken on a large number of employees, the Prime Minister must give us a preferential price in terms of the purchase price. Otherwise, our loss will be too great."

"Wei Li, tell me if you have anything to add."

Lin Baicheng said everything he thought of in a short period of time. He thinks that if Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher can accept the conditions he just proposed, then Hutchison Whampoa will lose a little bit. Bentley Motors is indeed a high-quality asset.

Don't think about taking advantage of the British government. It would be nice if the price Hutchison Whampoa paid was not too high.

Wei ideally thought for a while and said, "Mr. Lin, the prime minister's state-owned enterprise privatization policy is nothing more than fear of bankruptcy and workers being laid off. As long as we can improve the employment rate, I think the prime minister will support us. Therefore, apart from acquiring In addition, you can also choose to invest in the establishment of a new company and guarantee how many employees you can recruit, which is not much different from how many employees you accept, but it is easier for us to show our talents in new companies.”

Lin Baicheng nodded slightly: "That's okay, you can mention it to Mr. Thompson in the Prime Minister's Office and let him convey it on your behalf."

Wei Li said: "Boss Lin, can you set a bottom line here? In this way, my side will also have evidence to rely on, and it will be easier to negotiate."

"Okay, let me think about it."

Lin Baicheng murmured after hearing the words, and said after a while: "First of all, we have to bear the responsibility. The number of employees we accept cannot exceed 8000. We must give us a certain number of layoffs. The specific number should be discussed and evaluated by your team."

"What's more, we are allowed to implement the employee diversion plan to transfer the employees of the acquired companies to other companies, so as to ensure that the number of workers will not decrease. It is nothing more than a change in the nature of the work."

"After these promises, we will talk about the acquisition of Bentley Motors. We can give a certain premium to the acquisition price, and there must be no triangular debt situation. Unilateral debts are acceptable, but if Hutchison accepts debts, then the acquisition price will be higher. It has to be counteracted."

"Finally, it is about the privatization of non-performing assets. The purchase price is not only not a premium, but a certain discount. Your team can judge the specific amount."

"If these conditions are met, if the Prime Minister has any conditions, you can agree to them as long as they are not excessive. If you can't decide the conditions on the Prime Minister's side, you can contact me. Anyway, you can negotiate more times. "

What Lin Baicheng said were prerequisites, and what he said was the bottom line, and he also said it for the monitoring that might exist, showing his attitude.

If the British side does not back down, then Lin Baicheng will not back down either, he will not accept the so-called robbery-style investment.If this kind of thing is agreed to, one will have two, until Hutchison Whampoa or himself can't afford it.

It is impossible for Lin Baicheng to sacrifice himself for the British government. He would rather choose to be suppressed and suffer serious short-term losses.

"Good Mr. Lin, I can't decide the conditions. I will ask for your opinion then."

With the bottom line of the big boss, Wei Li can easily negotiate.

"By the way, Mr. Lin, regarding the Bentley family of Bentley Motors, if this family subscribes for 15% of the shares and becomes a shareholder of Bentley Motors when we are privatized, then should we accept this matter, or ask the Prime Minister to help buy out Bentley Motors wholly? ?”

"If the Bentley family chooses to subscribe for the shares when it comes to the acquisition of Bentley, then you should first discuss with the Bentley family our Hutchison investment plan. The company will establish a new brand to enter the mid-to-low-end car market, build a new factory, and invest more funds In terms of development, if the Bentley family is willing to continue to be a shareholder of the company after knowing this and has the funds, then He Huang welcomes the Bentley family to join."

"Not only the Bentley family, but if there are other capitals that want to invest in Bentley Motors, they can consider it, as long as we and Huang hold more than half of the shares in Bentley Motors."

After all, Bentley Motors is in England, and Hutchison Whampoa has little influence in England. Even with the support of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, there will be troubles, not to mention that Margaret Thatcher's support for Hutchison Whampoa is bound to be limited.

If local British capital joins, the troubles of Bentley Motors will be the troubles of local British capital, and Hutchison Whampoa need not worry too much.

"I understand."

Wei Li is very much in favor of allowing other capital to invest in Bentley Motors. The introduction of local capital can reduce the troubles Bentley Motors encounters.

"If there is nothing else, let's do this first. After you have further progress in the negotiation, please contact me."

Lin Baicheng said that he had been talking to Wei Li for a long time.

"Yes, Mr. Lin."

"correct!"

Before he was about to hang up the phone, Lin Baicheng suddenly remembered: "If the negotiation with the Prime Minister is successful, remember to fax me the detailed information of the non-performing assets enterprises to be acquired, and your team will also investigate to see which enterprises still have Potential, it is possible to improve and develop. Now that we have acquired it, we still have to try whether we can revive it and develop these enterprises.”

"I see."

Wei Li responded and expressed his understanding.

"Okay, that's it for now."

Lin Baicheng hung up the phone and went downstairs.

Downstairs, Zhong Chuhong was watching TV, watching a TV series from Asia Television.

"Cheng, are you done?"

"Well, we just talked about it."

Lin Baicheng walked over, sat down beside Zhong Chuhong, and watched TV with Zhong Chuhong.

That night, neither Lin Baicheng nor Zhong Chuhong went back, and they stayed here overnight.

This villa was given to Zhong Chuhong by Lin Baicheng, but Zhong Chuhong seldom comes to live in it, and he still lives at home.Although Lin Baicheng let Zhong Chuhong live in, Zhong Chuhong expressed that he wanted to live with his family for the time being, so Lin Baicheng naturally couldn't force it.

(End of this chapter)