Chapter 347 345 [HSBC Bank Mong Kok Center]

Li Wendi came to CITIC Bank again, one for Japanese yen currency investment and the other for layout.

"Congratulations, Mr. Li! You have earned more than 4 million US dollars in just one and a half months." William said with a smile on his face. Citibank is also one of the winners, earning 3000 million yuan in interest.

"Congratulations!" Li Wendi said, clasping his fists.

"Mr. Li, do you plan to convert all 4.5 million US dollars into Hong Kong dollars? The current exchange rate between Hong Kong dollars and US dollars is 1 Hong Kong dollar to about 0.15 US dollars. It is very disadvantageous for you. I believe the US dollar will rise again soon." William certainly does not want Li Wendi to convert the funds, otherwise the bank will lose an important customer.

Wendi Li rarely trades stocks or makes acquisitions at Citibank, so William was worried that this was a one-time investment.

Li Wendi was of course aware of William's thoughts, and said with a smile, "It will not be exchanged for the time being. Mr. William, do you know Haifeng Bank?"

"Bank of America? The sixth largest bank in New York State?" William's eyes widened. He knew that Li Wendi was an acquisition maniac. Did he want to acquire Bank of America?

At that time, Haifeng Bank was the largest retail lending bank in New York State, with branches across all continents of the United States. However, it had suffered serious losses in recent years, mainly due to the economic recession from 74 to 75, which resulted in non-performing loans and a large number of bad debts, thus falling into trouble.

Of course, saving Haifeng Bank would require a huge amount of funds, but Li Wendi was not interested in this. Banks were a business for rich people, and he could not do it.

According to history, in the second half of 78, HSBC would acquire Haifeng Bank and use it as a springboard to realize its ideal of "becoming a global bank".

这单交易的方案是2.62亿美元的价格收购海丰银行51%的股份，其中以每股20美元的价格收购25%已发行的股票，再注资2亿美元以每股30美元（接近于净资产的价格），收购发行的新股。

Li Wendi didn’t know about the acquisition plan in his previous life, he just knew the existence of Haifeng Bank.

In fact, Li Wendi was a little worried that if he acquired Haifeng Bank, HSBC would have other options. In that case, wouldn't he have picked up a hot potato?

After repeated consideration, Li Wendi decided to acquire Haifeng Bank. After all, the economy is now starting to improve, and the bank can still be sold, and maybe he could make a profit.

Li Wendi nodded and jokingly said, "Why? Wan Guo Bao Tong Bank doesn't dare to take action against Haifeng Bank?"

William quickly shook his head, "No! I just didn't expect Mr. Li to want to enter the banking industry."

Li Wendi smiled and said, "I am not interested in the banking industry. This is just an investment. It involves some confidential information of the group. I cannot say more."

William has been in the financial industry for many years and feels that there is no need for Li Wendi to lie. "Since it is Mr. Li's request, I will immediately notify the US headquarters and ask them to immediately investigate the background information and operating conditions of Haifeng Bank."

"Mr. Li, you will need to take some time to go to the United States. There are some things that need you to handle."

Li Wendi nodded slightly, "Okay, I will go to the United States next month, just in time to complete this investment plan."

After leaving the bank, Li Wendi came to Ducheng Real Estate Company to handle some business.

"We received news from Great Eagle Properties that they do not plan to hold the newly built industrial buildings and want us to sell them," Gao Yi reported. "As far as I know, Great Eagle Properties has begun to abandon most of its industrial buildings and fully enter the residential building sector. In fact, many real estate companies that were optimistic about industrial buildings or factories have transformed themselves."

Li Wendi knew that Gao Yi was telling the truth. Due to the rectification of chaos in the mainland, a large number of people poured into Hong Kong, and the demand for housing was growing. Residential buildings were one of the most profitable businesses in the real estate industry, and they were much more profitable than industrial buildings, so those companies had begun to look down on industrial buildings.

Changxin Group is engaged in residential building development, but it focuses on large-scale projects. Changxin Group is not willing to spend time on small projects.

"Mingcheng Real Estate Company will continue to engage in industrial building development and investment in high-quality industrial buildings, but Ducheng Real Estate Company can develop some small residential buildings, and its target customer group is lower-class citizens." Li Wendi still satisfied Gao Yi's idea.

In fact, this kind of thoughts are not easy to suppress. If suppressed for too long, other changes will occur. So Li Wendi simply suppressed half and let go of the other half.

"Thank you, boss!" Gao Yi said with a smile. The tight hoop finally loosened a little, and the next step was to take it off.

"Ducheng Real Estate Company is already a wholly-owned subsidiary of Changxin Group. You should prepare manpower and take over all the commercial properties of the group so that the group can free up its hands to do other things." Li Wendi said lightly. He planned to gradually transfer the group's rental properties to Ducheng Real Estate.

As for China Entertainment Properties, he plans to learn from Liu Luanxiong in his previous life and privatize and delist it, making it an investment subsidiary of the group company.

The current real estate market is no longer depressed, and Changxin Group does not have the extra funds to make a full acquisition of it. It can only wait until the Sino-British negotiations begin.

Mid June

Hong Kong Land held a press conference and announced that it would invest HK$1 million to build a commercial building named Duke of Windsor on a 5.3 square foot site on Sugar Street, Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay. It is expected to be 41 stories high and have a construction area of ​​more than 81 square feet, making it the largest commercial building in Causeway Bay. This news is undoubtedly exciting. With Hong Kong Land taking the lead, real estate companies no longer doubt the market fluctuations, which has brought about a considerable chain reaction.

Li Wendi knew that this was the famous Windsor House (Duke of Windsor Building) in the previous life, which was acquired by Liu Luanxiong from the Hong Kong Land Development and became one of the most valuable properties under the Chinese Estates Holdings Group.

The building has a construction area of ​​81 square feet and a rentable area of ​​over 60 square feet, which is no worse than a medium-sized building in Central. It is also one of the properties that Li Wendi wants to obtain.

In fact, Li Wendi was very interested in all the properties of Hutchison Whampoa in Causeway Bay because he wanted to become the landlord and the biggest landlord in Causeway Bay.

Changxin Group
Zhang Wentao rushed in in a hurry, "Boss, the subway company is too crazy. They have launched a property development rights project above the subway station. It's the Mong Kok subway station. That's very valuable land."

Hearing this, Li Wendi was slightly stunned. If his memory served him correctly, the Mong Kok subway station was launched in 79 and was successfully bid for by a consortium led by Hang Lung Group, which built a 22-storey commercial building - Mong Kok Center. This building was launched in 81 when the market was at its peak, and the entire consortium made a net profit of 4 million yuan.

The launch at this time should be due to the influence of Li Wendi, which caused the butterfly effect.

After much consideration, Li Wendi still did not want to participate in the bidding. Firstly, he wanted to leave some opportunities for others. Secondly, the funds of the Cheung Kong Group were not abundant. Thirdly, he did not know when HSBC would reach an agreement with Cheung Kong Holdings on the issue of Hutchison Whampoa.

"We will not participate in this bidding." said Li Wendi.

Zhang Wentao asked, "Is the boss worried about the capital chain?"

Li Wendi looked at Zhang Wentao and said, "Not exactly. Changxin Group has seized all the resources. How should our peers view Changxin Group? We want to develop, but we can't offend everyone."

"Yes, I understand." Zhang Wentao suddenly realized that he had been a little too proud recently.

Zhang Wentao added, "Kwong Sang Hong Cosmetics Co., Ltd. has a piece of land with an area of ​​4.2 square feet between Gloucester Road, Jaffe Road and Tonnochi Road in Wan Chai. They are now looking for someone to develop it together. Do you want to participate?"

Li Wendi had no impression of this piece of land and couldn't explain it, so he handed the project over to Zhang Wentao to take full charge.

Success or failure is of no concern to Changxin Group. After all, Changxin Group is very busy with business now and it is not easy to devote energy to too many projects.

A restaurant in Wan Chai

Li Wendi was led by the waiter to a private room, where sat Li Jiacheng of Cheung Kong Holdings, Li Zhaoji of Henderson Land Development, Zheng Yutong of New World Development and Chen Zengxi of Hang Lung Group.

When they saw Li Wendi, they all nodded or waved.

"Why are you so late?" Zheng Yutong wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin and asked with a smile.

Li Wendi shook his head and smiled bitterly, "It's not far from Central to Wan Chai, but there was a traffic accident on the way here, so I walked here."

Hearing this, everyone present was stunned. He actually walked over.

"Then come over and sit down and have a rest." Zheng Yutong laughed. Li Wendi was his junior, so of course he had to take care of him.

"The main reason I invited everyone out here today is to discuss the bidding for the development rights of the property above the Mong Kok subway station. Since a large amount of money is involved, I suggest forming a new company to be responsible for the bidding and construction," said Chen Zengxi of Hang Lung Company. It seemed that he was the one who initiated this gathering.

"As for the distribution of proportions, we will divide it equally among the five companies, with each company taking 20%. What do you think?" Chen Zengxi added.

"Wendi, what do you think?" Zheng Yutong asked Li Wendi with a smile.

Li Wendi replied, "I have no objection. Changxin Group has made a lot of moves recently. I am very grateful that you are willing to give me a share."

It never costs money to say gratitude, and it is a good thing to say it more often.

The remaining three people also expressed their opinions, saying that an equal split was the best and no one dared to object.

Everyone discussed the terms of the bidding again, and only started chatting after reaching an agreement.

(End of this chapter)