Chapter 349 Snatching the Future Head of Hutchison Whampoa
For his own safety, Lin Haoran decided that quietly flying on a commercial flight to Singapore would pose little risk.
Given his current status and connections, purchasing a ticket under an alias was a simple task.
He had already prepared several different identities to ensure his personal security.
"Boss, I've booked three tickets for tomorrow morning's 8:12 a.m. flight from Kai Tak Airport directly to Paya Lebar Airport in Singapore. I'll deliver them to you shortly," Su Zhixue reported over the phone.
Another evening passed in the blink of an eye.
On November 1st, at 8:12 a.m., a plane roared down the runway at Kai Tak Airport before soaring into the blue sky.
No one aboard knew that the new owner of the legendary Jardines Matheson was seated in first class.
Lin Haoran, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, sat quietly in the first-class cabin, keeping a low profile.
Across the aisle was his bodyguard, Li Weidong, scanning the surroundings alertly.
Behind him, another bodyguard, Li Weiguo, remained equally vigilant.
The first-class cabin was unusually quiet; besides them, only a flight attendant dedicated to their service was present.
Though economic ties between Southeast Asia and Hong Kong were strong, not every flight sold out its first-class seats.
Today, Lin Haoran and his two guards had first class entirely to themselves.
Glancing out at the shrinking skyline of Hong Kong, Lin Haoran closed his eyes, planning to rest.
His goal in Singapore was clear: to recruit Ma Shiming, the man who in his previous life had been Li Jiacheng's most trusted strategist.
If he could successfully bring Ma Shiming under his wing, the trip would be well worth it, no matter how exhausting.
After all, even Huawei's founder Ren Zhengfei had praised Ma Shiming as a "life mentor"—a testament to his extraordinary talents.
Li Jiacheng's Hutchison Whampoa would never have reached such heights without Ma Shiming's contributions.
If Lin Haoran didn't move now, he knew that Li Jiacheng would eventually recruit Ma Shiming.
Li Jiacheng's eye for talent was impeccable.
Without Ma Shiming, even if Li Jiacheng retained control of Hutchison Whampoa, he might never have achieved such remarkable success.
But in this parallel world, Lin Haoran had decided:
He would intercept Ma Shiming before Li Jiacheng could.
Around noon, Lin Haoran's flight landed smoothly in Singapore.
Though Singapore's economy was developing rapidly, it still lagged behind Hong Kong at this point in history.
Nevertheless, many of Lin Haoran's companies—Wanqing Group, Jardines Matheson, Jardines Matheson, Hongkong Electric, and even Huanyu Security—already had branches in Singapore.
However, he didn't inform anyone of his trip.
Singapore's public safety was even better than Hong Kong's, so he wasn't particularly concerned.
At the airport, Lin Haoran called Ma Shiming.
It was lunchtime, and Ma answered almost immediately.
Having heard that Lin Haoran planned to meet him that afternoon, Ma Shiming had deliberately stayed home to avoid missing the call.
Still, he was surprised that Lin Haoran contacted him so early.
"Mr. Ma, I'm already in Singapore.
You probably haven't had lunch yet?
I'm unfamiliar with Singapore—why don't you pick a place with private dining rooms where we can talk privately?" Lin Haoran said directly.
"Alright. Let's meet at the Nanyang International Hotel.
The environment there is good, and privacy is excellent.
I'll wait for you at the entrance," Ma Shiming said after a moment's thought.
"OK, Mr. Ma. See you shortly!" Lin Haoran replied with a smile.
After hanging up, Lin Haoran and his two bodyguards took a taxi to the hotel.
Singapore was much smaller than Hong Kong;
in 1980, its total land area was only a little over 500 square kilometers.
Compared to its future expansion to more than 700 square kilometers, it was still quite small.
Thus, after only ten minutes, they arrived at the Nanyang International Hotel.
Outside the hotel, Lin Haoran quickly spotted the legendary former Hutchison Whampoa executive, Mr. Ma.
"Mr. Lin, welcome!"
Ma Shiming stepped forward and shook his hand warmly.
"Let's head inside," Lin Haoran said with a smile.
Today, Lin Haoran's name was not only known in Hong Kong but also throughout Southeast Asia.
Any major business event in Hong Kong was heavily reported in Singaporean media.
Inside the hotel, the two men, guided by a waiter, entered a private dining room.
Given Singapore's large Chinese population, it wasn't surprising that the restaurant had a traditional Chinese style.
After a few polite exchanges, they ordered some simple dishes.
Once the waiter left, they began their real conversation.
"Mr. Ma, I heard you worked at Jardines Matheson for fourteen years.
Why did you suddenly decide to resign?" Lin Haoran asked, shifting the discussion toward the real topic.
"Indeed. Jardines Matheson witnessed my professional growth, and I have deep feelings for the company.
But, sometimes partings are inevitable.
My journey with Jardines Matheson had reached its end," Ma Shiming said, his tone filled with nostalgia.
It was clear he didn't want to delve too deeply into his reasons.
"You might have heard—there's been a major change at Jardines Matheson.
I am now the new owner," Lin Haoran said, pausing deliberately to observe Ma's reaction.
He continued:
"Such major changes often create new opportunities,
especially for seasoned and talented managers like yourself."
Ma Shiming raised an eyebrow, clearly curious about where this conversation was headed.
"Mr. Ma, I sincerely invite you to join Jardines Matheson as our new General Manager and Executive Director.
You would have full authority over day-to-day operations and major decisions.
You might already know:
Jardines Matheson has become a subsidiary of Jardines Matheson.
As part of Jardines Matheson's leadership, you would also have influence at Jardines Matheson.
If you wish, I can even offer you the Chairman position."
Lin Haoran's voice was steady and full of sincerity.
"If you know anything about me, you'll know that I fully trust the managers I hire.
Your power would not be less than what Niu Bijian once wielded," Lin Haoran added.
Ma Shiming was visibly stunned by the offer.
He fell silent, weighing the pros and cons.
Seeing this, Lin Haoran pressed on:
"I know it's not an easy decision.
But please believe me—what the British consortiums could never offer you,
I can give you.
Join me, and you'll become a business titan alongside the likes of Shen Bi."
After a moment of silence, Ma Shiming finally spoke:
"Mr. Lin, thank you for your trust and appreciation.
But to be honest, I am currently preparing to launch my own business.
I've already secured investors and put a lot of planning into it.
I've thought this through carefully—it's not a decision made on impulse."
His voice was firm.
Clearly, Ma Shiming had long since committed to entrepreneurship,
and convincing such a talented and proud individual would not be easy.
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