NABC Chapter 144 Release Announcement
Chapter 144 Release Announcement
The shipping magnate personally escorted Lin Zhou and his group to the villa entrance, watching the Rolls-Royce slowly drive away from the driveway and disappear into the distance.
He then turned away, went back into the villa, and the smile on his lips lingered for a long time.
Looking at the share transfer agreement, he silently thought: Wharf Holdings, this time, it's a sure thing.
Lin Zhou, sitting in the car on his way back, leaned back in his seat, watching the scenery flash by outside the window, a faint smile on his face.
In the takeover battle for Wharf Holdings that he was involved in, Chinese capital has already won half the battle.
The favor he bestowed upon the shipping magnate may play an unexpected role in the future.
At this moment, everyone in the shipping magnate's villa had left one by one. The shipping magnate sat behind the desk in his study and raised his hand to pinch the space between his eyebrows.
My tense nerves have finally relaxed a little these past few days, but I dare not slack off in the slightest.
The months-long takeover battle for Wharf Holdings finally came to a decisive end tonight.
The road ahead must be taken step by step with utmost care and determination.
Without delay, he turned around, picked up the black telephone on the desk, held the receiver to his ear, and spoke in a steady and powerful voice.
"Inform all directors and heads of business units in our group that we will have a meeting in one hour."
After the secretary answered the phone, the shipping magnate hung up, bent down to straighten his clothes, and smoothed out the wrinkles in his suit jacket.
Only then did he step out of the study. The wall lamps in the corridor emitted a soft glow, illuminating his tall figure, and his steps carried an undeniable air of authority.
An hour later, the group's executive conference room was packed.
Seated around the long mahogany conference table were the shipping magnate's trusted lieutenants, each with a mixture of expectation and solemnity on their faces.
They all guessed the theme of tonight's meeting—Wharf Holdings, a long-established company located in the heart of Hong Kong, is finally about to change hands.
The shipping magnate walked to the head seat and sat down. His gaze swept over everyone, and he got straight to the point without uttering a single unnecessary word.
"Just now, we officially completed the acquisition of Wharf Holdings' shares held by Zhonghua Group, bringing our total shareholding to 40%, making us the largest shareholder of Wharf Holdings."
The moment the words were spoken, the conference room fell silent for a brief moment, followed by a low murmur that could not be suppressed.
Aside from a few of the shipping magnate's close confidants and executives who already knew, this news clearly excited those who were unaware of it.
It's important to understand that Wharf Holdings owns a large number of prime properties in Tsim Sha Tsui and Central, Hong Kong, which are as valuable as gold. Whoever acquires Wharf Holdings will control half of Hong Kong's commercial real estate market.
The shipping magnate raised his hand and pressed down, and the conference room immediately returned to silence.
"Now is not the time to celebrate," he said, his voice not loud, but with a strong penetrating power.
"The first thing we need to do next is take over Wharf Holdings."
He paused, his gaze falling on the group's deputy general manager sitting to his left.
"Manager Zhang, you and your team worked through the night to review Wharf Holdings' asset details, focusing on verifying the operational data of its docks, office buildings, and shopping malls. I need to see a complete takeover plan first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes, shipping magnate."
Vice President Zhang immediately stood up and agreed, his pen flying across his notebook, his eyes full of enthusiasm.
"Manager Li," the shipping magnate said, turning to the head of public relations, his tone serious.
"The public relations department immediately drafted a public announcement to clearly and publicly disclose our acquisition of Wharf Holdings' shares held by Zhonghua Group."
Remember, the wording of the announcement must be precise. It should demonstrate our strength while reassuring Wharf's minority shareholders and merchants, avoiding any unnecessary panic.
Manager Li nodded quickly.
"I understand, shipping magnate. We will work through the night to produce the announcement."
At the same time, we contacted major newspapers, television stations, and radio stations in Hong Kong to ensure that the news would reach every corner of Hong Kong by tomorrow morning.
The shipping magnate nodded slightly, then looked at the heads of the legal and human resources departments and assigned them tasks one by one.
"The legal department is responsible for liaising with Wharf's legal team to complete the follow-up procedures for the equity transfer as soon as possible, ensuring that every step is legal and compliant."
The Human Resources Department drafted a plan in advance to adjust the management of Wharf Holdings, and I need to personally review the candidates for core positions.
We need to retain capable veteran employees while also injecting fresh blood; we can't take a one-size-fits-all approach.
The instructions came out clearly from the shipping magnate's mouth, logical and interconnected.
The executives in the conference room listened intently, the scratching of pens on paper filling the air, and their faces were all serious.
Everyone knows that every decision the shipping magnate makes is crucial to the ultimate success or failure of this acquisition battle, as well as the future development of the entire group.
The meeting lasted for two hours, finally ending as darkness fell.
The executives rose to say goodbye and hurried back to their posts to carry out the tasks assigned at the meeting.
The shipping magnate was the only one left in the conference room. He sat in the main seat, looking at the neon lights outside the window, and remained motionless for a long time.
At this moment, he was mentally rehearsing over and over the various problems that might arise during the takeover of Wharf Holdings.
Will minority shareholders unite to launch an attack?
Will the old management of Wharf Holdings object?
Will merchants worry about policy changes and withdraw from their leases?
He must think of solutions to these problems in advance.
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the streets and alleys of Hong Kong, a massive publicity campaign was launched.
The front pages of major Hong Kong newspapers such as Ming Pao, Zhonghua Daily, and Sing Tao Daily all featured eye-catching news...
The headline, "Shipping magnate's group takes over Wharf Holdings, acquiring shares held by Zhonghua to become the largest shareholder," was bolded and enlarged in black, taking up half the page.
The photo also included a picture of the shipping magnate signing the agreement; in the photo, he appeared calm and his gaze was firm.
At the same time, Hong Kong's TVB and RTV were also broadcasting the news on a loop during their morning news segments, with reporters speaking clearly and forcefully.
"Our reporter has learned that the shipping magnate's group completed the acquisition of Wharf Holdings' shares held by Zhonghua Group yesterday morning, making it the largest shareholder."
Industry insiders analyze that this move will completely change the landscape of Hong Kong's commercial real estate...
The radio station's financial channel broadcasted analysis of the acquisition case throughout the day, inviting several financial commentators to its live broadcast studio.
Analyzing from multiple perspectives, including equity structure, asset value, and market impact, the names "Wharf Holdings" and "Shipping King" quickly became hot topics of discussion among Hong Kong residents.
In breakfast shops scattered throughout the streets and alleys, people sip their morning tea while reading the news in the newspapers and discussing it animatedly.
"The shipping magnate really went all out, acquiring Wharf Holdings directly. He's really making a name for himself now!"
"Absolutely! Wharf Holdings has such a prime location—the pier in Tsim Sha Tsui, the office buildings in Central—aren't they all cash cows?"
"I wonder if Wharf's rent will go up in the future. I have a small shop there, and I hope it won't be affected."
People throughout Hong Kong expressed admiration, curiosity, and a hint of worry, but without exception, everyone's attention was focused on this acquisition that shook the Hong Kong business community.
Meanwhile, the shipping magnate was driving with his core team to the Wharf Holdings headquarters...
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