Chapter 323 The Second-in-Command at Jardines Matheson
"Mr. Niu Bik Kin, I have thought it over. I can agree not to further increase my holdings in Jardines Matheson and not to compete for the position of Taipan. However, I want you to agree to grant me the position of Vice Chairman of the Board. This is not an excessive request, is it? After all, I am the largest shareholder of Jardines Matheson," Lin Haoran said with a smile. To Lin Haoran, the Vice Chairman title was not actually important. His ultimate goal was to control Jardines through Land Development Corporation. This demand was merely a smokescreen. In fact, the so-called "Taipan" in Jardines was simply the traditional British term for the Chairman of the Board. Like Shen Bi at Huifeng Bank — he was officially the Chairman even though called Taipan. Thus, Lin Haoran's request to be Vice Chairman was equivalent to becoming the second-in-command at Jardines Matheson.
"Mr. Lin, your request is somewhat excessive. It puts me in a very difficult position," Niu Bik Kin said, frowning in dissatisfaction. The Vice Chairman position was significant. Currently, it was held by Jardines' General Manager, who was one of Niu Bik Kin's closest allies. Giving it to Lin Haoran would weaken Niu's control over Jardines — something he was unwilling to accept.
"Mr. Niu Bik Kin, you should know me well enough. I am only after prestige, not power. I own many listed companies like Hong Kong Electric, Kowloon Motor Bus, Qingzhou Cement, and China Gas. Although I hold key titles in these companies, those who know me are well aware that I rarely interfere in management. Take Hong Kong Electric — though I'm the chairman, I visit only two or three times a week at most, and usually just briefly. I prefer to leave decision-making to professional managers because I believe they are better at it than I am. Jardines would be no different. Even if I become Vice Chairman, I would not interfere in daily operations," Lin Haoran said with a laugh. His portrayal was credible because people familiar with him knew he truly disliked meddling in management.
"Mr. Lin, can you guarantee you won't interfere in company management?" Niu Bik Kin asked after a moment of silence.
"Of course. I know my strengths and weaknesses. I see myself more as an investor than a manager," Lin Haoran replied, smiling. Naturally, he did not promise he wouldn't one day remove Niu Bik Kin if necessary. Frankly speaking, while Niu had certain abilities, Lin Haoran still considered him inadequate — after all, it was during Niu's leadership that Jardines was overtaken by Huifeng Bank. Furthermore, Land Development's reckless expansion during the real estate bubble, which ultimately harmed Jardines, also occurred under Niu's watch. In the future, if Lin Haoran controlled Jardines, he would definitely replace him.
"Mr. Lin, can you promise that publicly at a board meeting?" Niu Bik Kin pressed. He was especially worried about someone meddling, just as he had suffered from Henry Keswick's constant interference through his allies at Jardines.
"Sure. I can publicly guarantee at the board meeting that I won't interfere with Jardines' daily operations and that I won't further increase my shareholding," Lin Haoran agreed easily.
"If Mr. Lin promises that, I can go back and discuss with the other executives and even Shen Bi from Huifeng Bank. I alone cannot decide this — the Vice Chairman position is too important," Niu Bik Kin said cautiously.
"Of course, I will await your reply," Lin Haoran nodded.
"Then let's conclude today's discussion here. If there's nothing else, Mr. Lin, please return for now. I will expedite the discussions and give you an answer as soon as possible," Niu Bik Kin said, standing up and clearly signaling the meeting's end.
Lin Haoran smiled, stood up as well, and said, "Then I'll wait for your reply, Mr. Niu Bik Kin."
From this conversation, Lin Haoran now knew that the government likely would not intervene immediately — removing a major worry.
When the government eventually did react, it would be too late.
Judging from Niu Bik Kin's attitude, it seemed almost certain Lin Haoran would get the Vice Chairman position.
Once he secured it, even without actively managing Jardines, he could accelerate the cross-holding plan between Jardines and Land Development — and ensure nothing within Jardines would be hidden from him.
Niu Bik Kin still didn't realize that Lin Haoran had initially planned to give up on Jardines.
It was Niu's own greed for power that reignited Lin Haoran's ambition to take control.
After bidding farewell to Niu Bik Kin, Lin Haoran left Jardines House and headed for Hong Kong Electric's headquarters.
Currently, there was nothing urgent he needed to do at Jardines or Land Development — just to quietly observe the developments.
If he could successfully acquire Jardines, it would be ideal.
Even though in Lin Haoran's estimation Jardines was worth much less than Land Development, it still had many advantages.
Even without Wharf Holdings or Land Development, Jardines remained a strong and diverse conglomerate.
Its business spanned retail, real estate, finance, shipping, construction, and was expanding into new sectors.
This diversification allowed Jardines to flexibly adapt to market changes and maintain stable profitability.
More importantly, Jardines' international strategy over the past two decades had been extremely successful.
Unlike Huifeng Bank, which still depended heavily on Hong Kong, Jardines had become a truly global enterprise.
Its presence across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Britain, France, Germany, and other countries boosted its competitiveness and brand influence globally.
This international reach also allowed Jardines to better handle changes in global economic conditions and maintain steady long-term growth.
Thus, Jardines' internationalization was one of its most attractive features to Lin Haoran.
Throughout the afternoon, Lin Haoran stayed at Hong Kong Electric, chatting with Chen Shoulin about the company's current situation and future development plans.
Around 5:00 PM, as Lin Haoran prepared to leave, his pager buzzed.
Recognizing the number immediately — it was Niu Bik Kin's office line —
Lin Haoran smiled with curiosity and called back.
"Mr. Lin," Niu Bik Kin answered immediately,
"I have discussed with several top executives and personally visited Shen Bi at Huifeng Bank. Regarding your request to become Vice Chairman of Jardines Matheson's board, we have agreed. We will support you at the board meeting. Even if Henry Keswick opposes it, we believe we can pass the resolution."
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