Chapter 327 When the Wings Grow Strong, They Stop Listening
The meeting had just concluded when Jardines Matheson immediately issued an announcement that spread rapidly across Hong Kong's major media outlets. Lin Haoran's promotion to Vice Chairman of the Board at Jardines Matheson stirred a huge commotion. Jardines had long been known as a fortress of British financial power, an impenetrable domain where no Chinese had ever breached the upper management ranks, let alone secured such a critical role as second-in-command. Yet now, what had they just witnessed? Lin Haoran had transformed into Jardines' Vice Chairman. Although he had previously declared his intention to acquire Jardines, almost no one had believed he would succeed. Industry experts had long asserted that for a Chinese like Lin Haoran to truly control Jardines, he would need nearly, if not more than, 50% of the shares. Therefore, many thought Lin Haoran, who had triumphantly acquired many Hong Kong-listed companies, was about to suffer his first major defeat.
Now, although he hadn't completely seized control, his appointment as Vice Chairman was shocking enough. It meant that the previously impenetrable British stronghold had finally been cracked open by Lin Haoran. From now on, Jardines' ownership structure would no longer be exclusively British. Time moved into October. With media coverage exploding across Hong Kong, Lin Haoran gained yet another prestigious identity — Vice Chairman of Jardines Matheson's Board. Elsewhere, it might seem like just another corporate title, but in Hong Kong, it was monumental. Jardines' influence spanned across every aspect of Hong Kong life — retail, dining, hotels, construction, insurance, real estate, securities. From owning Wellcome, 7-Eleven, Mannings, Pizza Hut, KFC, Maxim's Group, to luxury hotels like Mandarin Oriental, Jardines had long embedded itself into the very fabric of Hong Kong society.
Thus, Lin Haoran's ascent to Jardines' core leadership thrilled the city's Chinese population. Wherever one stood, national pride ran deep. Now that Hong Kong's economy was booming, citizens' aspirations had evolved from basic survival to seeking recognition and honor. Lin Haoran truly lived up to expectations: despite holding such a critical role, he never meddled in Jardines' daily operations. After the board meeting, he left Jardines House immediately and seldom returned unless necessary. However, he strategically placed his former Aimeigao Company CFO, Lai Meihui, into Jardines as a senior executive — an ideal inside contact. Since he had already severed ties with Aimeigao, and with Karson Group taking over, Lai Meihui naturally left as well. Placing her in Jardines allowed Lin Haoran to keep tabs on the company's internal workings.
Outside Hong Kong Electric's headquarters, Lin Haoran had just stepped out of his car, intending to meet with Chen Shoulin about China Gas' overseas market expansion, when he was intercepted by reporters lying in wait. The building's security team, along with Li Weidong and Li Weiguo, moved to push the reporters away, but Lin Haoran gestured to let them approach. "You have five minutes. Ask quickly, and if I can answer, I will," he said, smiling as he checked his watch. The reporters, thrilled, pounced on the opportunity.
"Mr. Lin, there are rumors that you've abandoned your attempt to acquire Jardines. Is that true?" asked one reporter. "I have currently stopped purchasing Jardines' shares and have made it clear at the board meeting that I will not further increase my stake," Lin Haoran replied smoothly, without revealing his true intentions. He still intended to control Jardines, but indirectly through Land Development Corporation — a strategy the media and public remained unaware of.
"Mr. Lin, now that you are second only to Mr. Niu Bik Kin at Jardines, do you plan to pursue the Taipan position?" another asked. "If there's a chance, I certainly would like to become Taipan," Lin said with a smile. "But it's obvious the British consortiums are unwilling to let me have that position, so for now it's just a thought. Who knows what the future holds? Let time reveal the answer."
After fielding a few more questions, Lin entered the Hong Kong Electric building under security escort, leaving behind disappointed reporters. He had been gracious enough answering them; staying longer would have been too much. Meanwhile, the stock market reacted sharply. Jardines' stock, after the announcement of Lin Haoran's Vice Chairmanship and his declaration not to increase his stake, quickly lost its speculative fever. Without suspense or potential takeover drama, the price cooled naturally. But Lin Haoran didn't mind. Even if Jardines' price fell, he no longer needed to worry about buying more shares. His focus now was on letting Land Development's stake in Jardines rise — and thereby controlling Jardines from behind the scenes.
At Hong Kong Electric, overseas expansion plans were progressing smoothly. After winning a power supply tender near Bangkok, Hong Kong Electric's experts decided to build a dam and a reservoir covering dozens of square kilometers to supply hydroelectric power. Meanwhile, China Gas was also preparing for international expansion. Hong Kong's market was too small for long-term growth. Thus, branching into Southeast Asia's massive cities like Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur became a key objective. Thanks to the Guo family's local influence, Lin Haoran's companies had a much easier time negotiating with these governments.
Chen Shoulin, for example, was already discussing partnerships with authorities in Kuala Lumpur to jointly establish a new energy company. While Lin Haoran was discussing these grand strategies at Hong Kong Electric, another important conversation was taking place at Jardines House — between Niu Bik Kin and Henry Keswick. "Mr. Niu, I'll be returning to Britain in a few days. Before I go, I'd like to have a word with you," Henry said seriously.
Henry had been in Hong Kong for several days and needed to return to London to manage his other businesses. As one of Jardines' largest shareholders and a major figure in the British business world, he couldn't stay away from Britain for too long. "Of course, Mr. Henry, please speak freely," Niu Bik Kin replied respectfully. Even though they were political rivals now, Niu Bik Kin still maintained due deference toward Henry Keswick, the man who had once personally chosen him as Taipan.
Watching his former subordinate, Henry couldn't help but feel a pang of irony. Who would have thought that the once-obedient Niu Bik Kin — who had followed his every order — would, after growing strong, stop listening?
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