Rebirth of the Hong Kong Millennium Conglomerate

In the office of Qiangu Group, Zhang Zeyang stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. The reason for establishing Qiangu Sugar Industry was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather stemmed from his memories from his previous life.

Next year, a sugar shortage that will sweep the world is on its way.

Zhang Zeyang clearly remembers that in 1973, the mainland was about to experience an unprecedented surge in demand for raw sugar due to industrial development, while domestic supply was already stretched thin.

As the demand gap widened, the task of acquisition ultimately fell to China Resources Ng Fung Hong, located in Hong Kong.

The person in charge of China Resources Ng Fung Hong was caught in a dilemma the moment he received the task.

He knew the rules of the international market all too well—the global raw sugar trade at that time was already in a delicate balance. Once the behemoth that was the mainland entered the market to purchase sugar, it would be like throwing a boulder into a calm lake, and the international sugar price would inevitably soar.

By then, not only will it consume astronomical amounts of foreign exchange reserves, but it may also face the predicament of having a market but no buyers, ultimately making it difficult to fulfill the important task entrusted by the country.

Moreover, the Ministry of Foreign Trade had already set a maximum price for this purchase.

After much thought, two names came to mind for the person in charge—Lin Zhongming and Pu Jinxin.

These two have extensive connections in Hong Kong's business community and may be able to find a way to break the deadlock.

When Lin Zhongming and Park Jinxin received the entrustment, they turned their attention to the man known as the "Sugar King of the World"—Guo Henian—with almost no hesitation.

Robert Kuok, a patriotic overseas Chinese, accepted this weighty entrustment almost without hesitation.

As the "Sugar King" who has dominated the international sugar market for decades, he is well aware of every development in the raw sugar market.

To avoid stimulating international sugar prices, Robert Kuok took a risky step.

He first discreetly dispatched his capable lieutenants to London, England. There, on the London futures market, the team quietly purchased 26 tons of raw sugar futures at £82 per ton.

At the same time, Robert Kuok personally set off for Geneva to attend the International Sugar Conference.

At that conference that brought together global sugar industry giants, he chatted and laughed, moving among representatives from various countries and drawing everyone's attention to himself—no one knew that this was just a diversionary tactic.

While the world's attention was focused on Robert Kuok in Geneva, his colleagues at China Resources Ng Fung in Hong Kong had already joined up with Kuok's team and quietly boarded a flight to Brazil.

In Brazil, they purchased large quantities of raw sugar under the name of Robert Kuok; then, they rushed to major sugar-producing countries such as Australia, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina, forming a fine net that quietly tightened its grip on the international market.

In just a few days, 41 tons of raw sugar were snapped up.

Just as the acquisition was nearing completion, a piece of news came that made Robert Kuok's heart skip a beat—a global sugar shortage was quietly brewing.

This news made him secretly glad that his previous decision had been decisive enough.

But he did not stop there. Instead, he continued to buy up raw sugar futures contracts at low prices in international futures markets such as London, taking advantage of the fact that the international market had not yet noticed China's large-scale purchasing activities.

The truth eventually came out. As clues about the mainland's acquisition activities began to emerge on the international market, raw sugar prices began to soar like a runaway horse.

By May 22, the price of raw sugar had broken through £105 per ton, and the upward trend was still rapid, showing no signs of stopping.

At this moment, Robert Kuok already had ample spot and futures contracts, putting him in an invincible position.

Starting from May 22, he, together with China Resources Ng Fung Hong, began to systematically sell off futures contracts that he had purchased at a low price several months earlier.

Riding the wave of market growth, every transaction yielded substantial profits, not only perfectly fulfilling the country's procurement targets but also reaping extra rewards.

This was originally a textbook example of business operation, a highlight of Robert Kuok's success in the international sugar market.

But this time, Zhang Zeyang was added to the game.

He was well aware of the impending sugar shortage and wanted to stockpile enough sugar before international sugar prices soared.

The sugar shortage of 1973 was destined to unfold differently from the original historical events. Because of Zhang Zeyang's interference, it would be much more difficult for Robert Kuok to successfully complete the important task entrusted to him by the mainland.

At this moment, Zhang Zeyang leaned back in his leather chair, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table, his brows slightly furrowed, a pressing problem swirling in his mind.

The Qian Gu Group's business empire is expanding at an unprecedented pace, and its operations are becoming increasingly complex, urgently requiring a highly capable leader to oversee these intricate affairs.

When it came to choosing the core person in charge, Zhang Zeyang had already made up his mind—Milis.

If this manager, who will become Li Bancheng's right-hand man in the future, can be recruited, the development of Qiangu Group will be greatly enhanced.

But then I thought about it again. Myris was in Singapore at the moment. It seemed that it was imperative to make a trip to Singapore in person to visit this future legend.

As his thoughts wandered, another name jumped into Zhang Zeyang's mind—Ma Shimin.

That man who is still unknown at Hongkong Land.

He closed his eyes, and Ma Shimin's resume unfolded clearly in his mind.

Simon Murray, born on March 25, 1940, in Leicester, England, has a life story that can be described as a dramatic and legendary tale. In 1960, the hot-blooded Murray joined the French Foreign Legion, where his five years of military service forged him into an iron will and a decisive and efficient style of doing things.

After retiring from the military, he turned to the business world and joined Jardine Matheson.

What truly made Simon Murray famous was his connection with Hutchison Whampoa Limited in Hong Kong.

In 1984, he accepted Li Ka-shing's invitation to join Hutchison Whampoa as Managing Director.

During his tenure, he spearheaded several major transactions that shocked the industry, including the acquisition of Hong Kong Electric, which allowed him to expand into the energy sector.

Acquired Husky Oil's Canadian operations, expanding its overseas footprint.

He also orchestrated the sale of the European mobile communications brand Orange, generating huge profits for the group.

In 1993, Simon Murray left Hutchison Whampoa to become the Executive Chairman of Deutsche Bank Asia Pacific, continuing to showcase his talents in the financial field.

In 1998, leveraging his years of experience and connections, he founded his own investment fund, GEMS, which later became known as GEMS Investment, and personally served as its chairman.

In addition, he has been invited to serve as a director of several well-known companies such as Sino-Forest, Glencore, and International Plc.

Outside of the capital market, Ma Shimin is also active on the boards of major companies.

In 2017, he resigned as an independent non-executive director of CK Asset Holdings Limited.

He will also step down as an independent non-executive director of Wing Tai Properties in 2025.

This veteran, who has been in the business world for decades, is top-notch in both strategic vision and practical skills.

Zhang Zeyang slowly opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them.

These two future business giants, Melissa and Simon Murray, must be brought under our wing!

After leaving the headquarters of Qiangu Group, Zhang Zeyang first went to pick up his younger sister, Zhang Lingyun, from school.

Back at the Repulse Bay villa, he went to his study and dialed the number for the Black Ice Police. After the person on the other end answered, Zhang Zeyang said, "Help me find out about Ma Shimin's recent activities at the Landmark Company."

Please vote for me! Please vote for me with your monthly tickets!