In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

"Dad, since you know Mr. Lin Haoran's strength, you should understand that cooperating with him will bring more benefits than disadvantages to our Li family. He is willing to work with us to develop the Bank of East Asia, and he will definitely invest a lot of money and energy. With the support of this business giant, the Bank of East Asia will surely reach a higher level.

Just think about it, with Lin Haoran's current strength and influence, if he wants to completely control the Bank of East Asia, his chances of success are much higher than our Li family. Our Li family may seem prosperous now, but in fact it is weak inside. If we really put all our efforts into competing with him, the chances of winning are really slim.

He proposed cooperation and was willing to give us certain management rights, which shows that he values ​​the experience and connections that our Li family has accumulated in the banking industry over the years.

Therefore, as long as we agree to cooperate, our relationship with Lin Haoran will be close in the short term. When we help Bank of East Asia achieve better results in the future, he will be less likely to kick us out.

Moreover, people who know Lin Haoran know that he doesn't like to manage the company personally. Dad, you must be aware of this. Just like TVB, although Lin Haoran is the major shareholder, the management rights are still given to the second largest shareholder, Mr. Run Run Shaw. Don't worry too much.

As for the future, as long as we hold a certain amount of shares in Bank of East Asia, even if we lose management rights, we still have supervisory rights, and the Li family will have seats on the board of directors." Li Guobin persuaded patiently.

Li Fushu was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "That being said, people's minds are hard to predict. Lin Haoran is ambitious. Who can guarantee that he won't regret it in the future and attack our Li family?
Once the controlling stake is handed over, it will be like handing the handle of a knife to someone else. We cannot take risks with the hard work of several generations of our Li family."

Seeing that his father was always worried about losing the controlling stake at any time, Li Guobin couldn't help but feel a little amused.

It was clearly his father who had earnestly advised him to judge the situation before, so why is it that now it is the old father's turn to be so stubborn and unable to let go of this matter?

He couldn't help but say, "Dad, let me just make it clear. Even if we go back to 20 or 30 years ago, when our family was at its peak, do you think we could be considered the most powerful in the Hong Kong business community?"

Li Fushu responded frankly: "That's not the case. Although we had a high status in Hong Kong back then, we were only known as the Four Great Families in the Chinese business community. Among the British companies, such as Jardine Matheson, Bank of Hong Kong, Swire, Hutchison Whampoa, etc., there were many that were stronger than us."

The Four Great Families refer to the four most influential families within the Chinese financial conglomerate, and do not include the more powerful British financial conglomerate families.

"Lin Haoran's current status in Hong Kong's business community is almost unmatched, and only Huifeng Bank can barely compete with him. Am I right in saying this?" Li Guobin continued.

Li Fushu nodded, agreeing with Li Guobin's statement.

“In my opinion, Lin Haoran is now like the emperor of Hong Kong’s business community. Our Li family has never had the opportunity to cooperate with him in the past, so we couldn’t hold on to this towering tree. But now, the opportunity is in front of us.

Once we seize the opportunity, we will be able to take advantage of this good opportunity and rely on his power. Our Li family may be able to usher in unprecedented glory, and it will not be a dream to surpass our most glorious period.

In ancient times, there were three dukes and five marquises, who were able to call the shots and achieve great success in their respective eras. Today, the Hong Kong business community is just like the court in ancient times. Lin Haoran is already a top figure. If our Li family can join hands with him, it will be like a minister in ancient times meeting a wise master. Why worry about not being able to achieve great things?" Li Guobin continued.

"You mean, our Li family will become Lin Haoran's vassal?" Li Fushu asked with a frown.

"Dad, you told me before that the four major families are all outdated. In this case, why can't our Li family put aside the past and embrace new opportunities with a brand new attitude?
As long as we hold on to someone like Lin Haoran, even if we become his vassal, so what? As long as we show our loyalty to Lin Haoran and rely on his support, our wealth will grow rapidly, surpassing more Hong Kong consortiums and rewriting the glorious chapter of our Li family.

Look at Hong Kong now. The situation is changing rapidly and new business forces are emerging like mushrooms after rain.

Bao Yugang, Li Jiacheng, Zheng Yutong, Li Zhaoji, Guo Desheng, Lin Haoran, Guo Henian, Chen Songqing and other emerging forces have developed rapidly one after another, and the gap between them and us old forces is getting bigger and bigger.

How easy is it for us to stand out in this fierce competition? If we don't change the status quo, our Li Peicai family will gradually be squeezed out of the top circle of Hong Kong's business community, and even the false reputation of the four major families that we have worked hard for will sooner or later be lost.

Cooperating with Lin Haoran is an excellent opportunity for our Li family to break through difficulties and achieve leapfrog development. He has strong financial strength and excellent business acumen, which are what our Li family currently lacks.

Moreover, we are not completely dependent on him. In the cooperation, we can still maintain a certain degree of independence and autonomy. Our Li family's many years of experience and connections in the banking industry are a wealth that no one can ignore.

We can use these advantages and collaborate with Lin Haoran to jointly promote the development of Bank of East Asia. Once Bank of East Asia achieves greater success through our joint efforts, the status of our Li family will also rise.

By then, we will not only be able to keep our place in the Hong Kong business community, but we may also become the leader of the Hong Kong Chinese family second only to Lin Haoran. " Li Guobin said, picking up the water cup on the conference table and drinking all the water in it in one breath.

At this moment, Li Fushu was still looking down and pondering what his son said.

Seeing Li Guobin stop, he looked up and said, "Well, keep talking!"

"Dad, times have changed. We can no longer look at problems with the old perspective. This is what you taught me before. In this competitive era, only by constantly adapting to changes and seizing opportunities can we survive and develop.

Cooperating with Lin Haoran is a key step for our Li family to adapt to the changes of the times and seize opportunities. I know you are worried about the issue of controlling rights, but we can protect the interests of our Li family through a cooperation agreement, clearly stipulating our equity ratio, management rights, supervision rights, etc. in the agreement to ensure that we will not easily lose control of Bank of East Asia. Moreover, as long as we maintain a good cooperative relationship with Lin Haoran, there is no need for him to attack our Li family.

Dad, think about it carefully. This is the best time for our Li family to rise again. If we miss this opportunity, it will be very difficult to find such a good partner in the future.

Especially now that competition in Hong Kong's banking industry is so fierce, it has become even more difficult for us to make progress. We can only vigorously develop overseas markets while trying our best to maintain our current market share.

With Lin Haoran's current wealth, he will definitely make a lot of investments internationally in the future, just like he is currently making large-scale investments in Japan. We at Bank of East Asia can take advantage of his momentum and follow his footsteps to expand our overseas business together."

Li Guobin paused for a moment and continued, “Imagine that with Lin Haoran’s international influence, resources, and connections, our Bank of East Asia can open more branches in Japan, Southeast Asia, and even Europe and the United States, and continue to expand our business territory.

This will not only enable the asset size of Bank of East Asia to grow exponentially, but also enable our Li family to stand out in the international financial world. It is no longer a dream to become a top multinational bank in the future.

By then, our Li family's position in Hong Kong's business community will be as solid as a rock, and those forces that want to see us gradually decline and want to squeeze us will have to look at us with admiration.

Moreover, with the expansion of overseas business, we will be able to get to know more international business giants and accumulate more extensive personal connections, which will have immeasurable benefits for the future development of our Li family.

Dad, I know you have always been worried that our Li family will be in a passive position in the cooperation and will be led by Lin Haoran, but think about it, our Li family has been in the banking industry for so many years and has a deep foundation and rich experience.

Our cooperation with Lin Haoran is a strong alliance, not a simple dependence of one party on the other."

Li Guobin talked incessantly for a long time and finally stopped.

In the conference room, the atmosphere gradually fell silent.

The rapid rise of new forces has attracted countless people to covet the positions of the four major families and try to bring them down.

Some media even published articles stating that with the current strength of the four old families, it is difficult for them to maintain their supreme position.

Therefore, the Li Peicai family is actually in a very awkward situation in the Hong Kong business community today.

Li Fushu frowned slightly and fell into deep thought, trying to digest what his son Li Guobin had said.

After an unknown amount of time, Li Fushu slowly raised his head, his eyes showing a bit more determination.

Looking at his son, he actually felt a sense of relief that "the pupil is better than the father".

He has always hoped that his son would be able to stand on his own and carve out a niche in the complex business world. Now his son not only has a clear understanding, but can also persuade him patiently and analyze the pros and cons. His intelligence and eloquence really impress him.

He looked at Li Guobin and suddenly smiled: "Guobin, what you said makes sense. Over the years, our Li family seems to be prosperous, but in fact, in this ever-changing Hong Kong business world, every step is taken with caution.

Today, the situation is even more complex and changing, and new forces are constantly rising. If we continue to stand still, we will be eliminated sooner or later."

He paused and continued, "Lin Haoran is indeed a rare figure. His strength and influence are obvious to all. Cooperating with him may really be a turning point for our Li family. Perhaps relying on him is our best choice!"

At this moment, he had already made a decision in his heart.

The worry and confusion about the future of his family that had weighed on his mind for a long time seemed to be swept away in an instant.

The Li family's status in the business world has been declining over the years, which made him understand a truth: in this rapidly changing era, sticking to old ideas and status is like rowing against the current; if you don't move forward, you will fall behind.

What Lin Haoran represents is not only a powerful business partner, but also an opportunity for the Li family to break through the existing bottleneck and move to a higher level.

Even if I become a vassal, so what? (End of this chapter)