Chapter 368: Targeting Goldman Sachs
After John Catherick returned to his residence, he found his eldest son, Henry, already waiting there.
Seeing his father's relaxed demeanor, Henry Catherick couldn't help but smile in anticipation and asked, "Father, did we succeed?"
"Yes, Li Yao agreed! We can now arrange for people to sign the contract!"
Old John replied as he sat down, his tone also light and cheerful.
"That's great! With the shares from Temasek Holdings and the ones we already had, we now have 44.19% of the shares! We should have surpassed Galaxy Fund by more than 10%."
Henry Catherick said with a smile, his long-held concerns easing a bit.
Old John also smiled upon hearing this number.
With less than 6% to the absolute control line, this was much safer than being over 10% away from it.
"So, Father, after we acquire the shares, should we announce the news publicly?"
Henry Catherick inquired.
Old John's smile faded as he pondered for a moment and then shook his head, saying, "No need to announce it publicly. At this point, whether we suppress the stock price or not is irrelevant. What matters is to secure absolute control quickly and then deliver a decisive blow."
"I have already discussed with Li Yao. After we acquire the shares, Temasek Holdings will continue to negotiate with Jiuding Securities to confuse them."
Henry Catherick thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
He was aware that Xia Yu wanted to take control of the IHE Machine Group from them. If the shareholding was exposed, two outcomes were possible:
1. It could scare Xia Yu away and dampen his ambitions.
2. It could drive Xia Yu into a frenzy, leading him to do anything to acquire the shares.
If the second outcome occurred, it would be very disadvantageous for them.
Therefore, to be safe, it was better to remain in the shadows, keeping the enemy in the dark while taking the initiative, and then delivering a fatal blow to completely repel Xia Yu.
When the situation reversed, dealing with Xia Yu would be much easier!
...
Old John and his son had such a well-thought-out plan, but they were unaware that Xia Yu already knew about their acquisition of the Temasek Holdings shares.
After ending the call, Xia Yu looked at Wang Qi's inquiring gaze and said calmly, "It seems that the shares held by Temasek Holdings have been acquired by the Catherick family."
Although Wang Qi had a premonition, hearing this from his boss made his heart sink, and he unconsciously clenched his fist.
This was bad news, ruining their good mood from acquiring the shares of Bank of China Hong Kong.
After all, their acquisition of Bank of China Hong Kong's shares only accounted for 2.54% of the total equity.
But the Catherick family's acquisition amounted to 5.24%, more than twice what they had.
This widened the gap between them! It could potentially affect their plans adversely!
"Boss, should we find a way to acquire another shareholder?"
Wang Qi asked respectfully.
Xia Yu frowned slightly and pondered, his mind racing.
From a different perspective, the Catherick family would certainly feel relieved after acquiring Temasek Holdings' shares, which was not what Xia Yu wanted to see.
If the Catherick family wasn't in a hurry, how could he force them to buy his shares?
Even though Li Jiacheng and Bao Yuguang were about to take action, Galaxy Fund's threat to the Catherick family might not be sufficient, and achieving the goal could face obstacles.
This was unacceptable!
He needed to force the Catherick family to prioritize retaining control of the IHE Machine Group, and for that, he needed to give them a significant threat!
"Then let's target another shareholder!"
Xia Yu's gaze became sharp as he said in a deep voice.
Wang Qi's spirits were lifted, and he asked, "Boss, which one should we target?"
Currently, there were four difficult shareholders remaining: Cummins Inc. with 6.37% of the shares, Nomura Securities from the island nation with 4.99%, Daiwa Securities from the island nation with 2.76%, and Goldman Sachs Group from the United States with 2.49%.
These four companies were tough nuts to crack!
It was impossible to acquire their shares without a significant cost, as Wang Qi had learned from recent negotiations!
Xia Yu narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, then suddenly opened them wide and looked intently at Wang Qi, saying, "Target Goldman Sachs!"
"Goldman Sachs?"
Wang Qi was surprised and puzzled, not expecting the boss to target Goldman Sachs, which had the smallest shareholding.
However, if acquiring Goldman Sachs was feasible, it would bring the gap with the Catherick family back to the same starting line.
"If we do it this way, you'll accompany me. I have a plan to acquire them; we just need to…"
Xia Yu explained his plan to Wang Qi. Wang Qi's eyes grew brighter, and after hearing the plan, he couldn't help but praise, "Boss, according to your plan, it's indeed very likely we can acquire Goldman Sachs' shares. You thought of everything; it's impressive!"
Xia Yu smiled faintly and accepted Wang Qi's praise calmly.
...
"Mr. James, hello!"
"Hello, gentlemen!"
"Mr. Xia, Mr. Wang, welcome!"
In the lobby of Goldman Sachs Group's Hong Kong office, Xia Yu, accompanied by Wang Qi and Li Wuming, exchanged pleasantries with James Richard and other senior executives of Goldman Sachs.
"Please come in!"
After the pleasantries, Xia Yu and his group followed James Richard and the others upstairs to a small conference room.
This conference room served not only as a meeting place for Goldman Sachs executives but also as a temporary reception area for important visitors.
Clearly, in the eyes of James and other Goldman Sachs management, Xia Yu was a significant figure.
After everyone took their seats, Xia Yu and Wang Qi sat on the left side, while James Richard and three other senior Goldman Sachs executives sat on the right side. The two sides faced each other, facilitating a clear and direct conversation.
As Xia Yu observed James Richard and the others, James Richard was also observing Xia Yu and Wang Qi, with a focus on Xia Yu.
James Richard was considered a senior executive within Goldman Sachs Group, but in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, he was indeed the head of the branch.
Due to the development status of Southeast Asia, Goldman Sachs had placed less emphasis on the region, with only one branch set up in Hong Kong, responsible for the entire Southeast Asian affairs.
James Richard was the branch manager, with a high degree of autonomy. He could make decisions directly as long as they did not involve large investments.
For example, regarding the 2.49% shareholding of the IHE Machine Group that Xia Yu was interested in, James Richard had the authority to decide on the spot whether to sell or not!
Moreover, if he wanted to hold onto the shares and play hardball, it was James Richard who would decide.
"Mr. James, I'm here today to discuss a potential business cooperation with you."
Xia Yu took the initiative to speak.
James Richard smiled and, feigning ignorance of the details, made a listening gesture, and said expectantly, "Mr. Xia, it is our honor. Could you please elaborate on the specific cooperation?"