I'm in the county town, and you say I'm a big shot?

Chapter 758, Chapter 757: "I remember the chairman of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange serves a three-year term. Isn't it time for a change of leadership this year?"

Fang Qingye was in a relaxed mood.

Just hours after the Wall Street tycoons concluded their meeting, he also invited elites from Hong Kong's financial world to gather together. The venue was the Viewing Cabin at the Sha Tin Clubhouse in the New Territories—a place Qin Feng had strongly recommended.

"Hong Kong tycoons love to conduct business at the racetrack," Qin Feng explained with great enthusiasm. "They watch the horses race across the track while chatting and laughing in their private boxes, sometimes even exchanging sharp words. Deals are often struck under this dual stimulation."

Okay, Fang Qingye agreed.

He just felt that Qin Feng was using his position for personal gain. But when he called to ask for the opinions of several bigwigs, he didn't expect that everyone was satisfied with the location and readily agreed.

Damn, they all seem to be gamblers.

Fang Qingye couldn't help but sigh.

At this moment, he was leisurely leaning back on the sofa, surveying the understated yet luxurious room. The thick wool carpet absorbed most of the noise, and the dark solid wood wall panels complemented the leather sofa perfectly, exuding a classic and composed atmosphere.

The most striking feature of the room is the enormous one-way floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, a pre-race parade is underway on the lush green racetrack. Horses, driven by jockeys, strut past with spirited strides, sunlight illuminating their glossy coats and highlighting the powerful lines of their muscular physiques.

Fang Qingye deliberately didn't wear a suit today, opting instead for a casual outfit that made him appear even more relaxed. He was listening to Li Changxi enthusiastically imparting his knowledge of horse racing.

Li Changxi requested to come.

He claimed that Cheung Kong Holdings might buy Ele.me shares as an institutional investor in the future and wanted to learn about the situation in advance. But Fang Qingye knew perfectly well—according to Qin Feng, this kid was a die-hard horse racing fanatic.

However, Fang Qingye didn't care, as this was not a secret meeting in the first place.

To his amusement and exasperation, apart from Zhang Jinchuan of CICC Hong Kong, the other attendees were all holding champagne and watching the horse race with great interest.

Li Changxi even volunteered to be the commentator: "Everyone, please look at that brown 'packed warrior' in the third gear," he pointed out the window, his eyes gleaming with excitement, "its coat is glossy, its muscles are taut, and it's even more ferocious than during morning exercises."

Qin Feng took a sip of champagne and immediately leaned forward for a closer look. After a moment, he nodded in approval, "Indeed, its speed looks very light. I heard from the bottom that its test results were excellent. Chang Xi, you have a sharp eye!"

Zheng Zhipeng nodded slightly and commented in a calm tone: "'Packaging Warrior' has excellent bloodline and is hardworking enough, making it a rare good horse."

Even the two foreign guests watched with great interest, occasionally exchanging words in English.

Fang Qingye suspected that they had all placed bets on this horse race.

Fortunately, while watching the game was enjoyable, business wasn't neglected at all. The meeting focused on Ele.me's IPO plan, and several key points were summarized:
First, the key design of the AB share structure was clarified. The core of it lies in setting up a "sunset clause" that includes shareholding ratio, term of office and fixed term, in order to balance the founder's control and investor protection.

The meeting then discussed potential concerns from regulators, particularly the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's cautious stance on the "dual-class share structure." In response, the meeting cited positive data from international markets and proposed strengthening market confidence and improving governance by introducing long-term cornerstone investors such as BlackRock and HSBC.

All discussions ultimately pointed to a consensus: a complete solution that combines legal framework, data support, and shareholder endorsement is needed to effectively advance the subsequent process.

“The next step is the most crucial one,” Zhang Jinchuan of CICC summarized, “How do we persuade Sir Chow Chung-kong, Chairman of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and Chan Tak-lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority?” The private room fell silent.

Everyone here can use their personal connections to create public opinion and find allies, but the most crucial thing is whether the Hong Kong Stock Exchange can accept the dual-class share system. Only then can we talk about Ele.me's IPO. Otherwise, it's all in vain, and the decision-making power is in the hands of these two people.

"President Chen Delin is relatively open-minded, but I advise you to give up the idea of ​​contacting Zhou Songgang; he won't agree." HSBC's Charlie Guo raised this point for the third time, adding,
"Yesterday at a private gathering, I subtly mentioned the issue of dual-class shares, hoping to gauge his opinion, but he flatly refused, leaving no room for negotiation."

Everyone fell silent, their gazes unanimously turning to the racetrack outside the window, but this time, they were all clearly preoccupied with their own thoughts.

“Since President Chen is relatively open-minded, why don’t we focus our efforts on him?” Fang Qingye said casually.

“If President Chen agrees, and considering that BlackRock and HSBC, where Mr. Fan Ailin and Mr. Guo Charlie work, are both major shareholders of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with the three major shareholders working together, I think things will change.” He paused, then seemingly casually added, “I remember the chairman of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange serves a three-year term. Isn’t it time for a change of leadership this year?”

His words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing everyone to turn and look at him.

"I was just saying." Seeing everyone's reaction, Fang Qingye smiled and waved her hand.

Just saying?

Is this just some casual remark at this critical juncture?
This is clearly a meaningful hint.

Those present are all seasoned veterans; how could they not understand the underlying implications? If the Hong Kong Monetary Authority agrees, and with the support of its two major shareholders, HSBC and BlackRock, such a possibility certainly exists.

Replace Zhou Songgang!
“Well then, Mr. Fang,” Fan Ailin said, swirling her champagne glass with a meaningful smile, “I’ll leave President Chen to you.”

“Sure,” Fang Qingye readily agreed. “I’ve always believed that anything is possible with effort. However, could someone introduce me to President Chen? It wouldn’t be appropriate to make such a presumptuous visit.”

"I'll arrange it," Zhang Jinchuan said with a smile. "I'll find an opportunity as soon as possible."

After finishing their business, everyone watched the horse race with great interest.

Although Fang Qingye didn't understand horse racing, he found it quite exciting to watch the riders speeding along the track on their horses—even if he couldn't understand the intricacies, watching the spectacle was still enjoyable.

Everyone favored the brown "Packaging Warrior" that Li Changxi had mentioned earlier, which was currently leading the pack. However, Fang Qingye felt that the black racehorse named "Obsidian" next to it might catch up later.

Of course, this is just a gut feeling.

Just then, JPMorgan Chase's Peter Betz quietly approached Fang Qingye: "Mr. Fang, may I have a word with you in private?"

Fang Qingye followed him out of the private room and found a quiet corner. Then, Bei Zhehan lowered his voice and asked, "Mr. Fang, what are your thoughts on the UK's Brexit referendum?"

Asking this suddenly?
Fang Qingye immediately became alert.

(End of this chapter)