hollywood billionaire

Chapter 257 Super Yacht Broker
"Antoine..."

"When you said you wanted three breakfasts, I thought it was just an exaggeration..."

Sitting on the terrace of the Le Grill restaurant at the Monte Carlo Hotel in Paris, Han Yi let out a long sigh as he looked at the cappuccino he had refilled for the third time in front of him.

He started to receive the first group of yacht brokers at 08:30. Now he has sent away the third group of people with Antoine Gachet, and is about to usher in the fourth wave of people who want to take tens of millions out of his pocket. Professional vampire with dollar checkbook.

He was still the kind of vampire with a big stomach who didn't care about a single blood bag and insisted on getting into the blood bank to drink.

As the most prestigious old luxury hotel in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and even the entire French Riviera, the Paris Monte Carlo Hotel opened in 1864 and has been in continuous operation for 152 years. It was completely renovated in 1909. Since 2014, the hotel's owner, the Monaco Thalasso Company, has begun the second renovation work in the history of the hotel, worth 2.8 million US dollars. However, no matter how large the scale of the project is, Paris Monte Carlo is nothing like it. Its luxury hotel counterparts in Paris, such as the Grand Hotel Crillon in Paris, which was taken over by the Ritz Paris and Rosewood Hotel Group, simply closed their doors and refused to accept guests.

Because, as Ivan Artoli, the general manager of this hotel, said in an interview with CNN, Monaco cannot live without Paris Monte Carlo.

This is the perfect choice for Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra and Roger Moore when they visit the Kingdom, and it is also the favorite residence on the planet for Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco.

Without Paris Monte Carlo, the wealthy people who come here simply cannot find another alternative.

Not only accommodation, but also food.

There are a total of six Michelin-starred restaurants in Monaco, and one hotel in Paris, Monte Carlo, accounts for one-third.

One of them is Louis XV, a three-star Michelin restaurant, directed by the "nine-star celebrity chef" Alain Ducasse and supported by the Monaco royal family. The average queue for a good table is two to three months.Han Yi, who has always been keen on reaching for the stars, this time booked a seat in advance at 07:30 tomorrow night through the private banking concierge of JPMorgan Chase.

It's not that he ate late, but that this restaurant vividly demonstrated European dining preferences - it opens at 07:30 and does not accept new customers after [-]:[-], and it is only open from Thursday to Monday.

The other one is Le Grill where he and Antoine are now.

This one-Michelin-star restaurant located on the eighth floor of the hotel has one of the best views of Monte Carlo, overlooking the bustling port during the Monaco Yacht Show and the Mediterranean Sea stretching outwards to the sky.At the end of summer in Southern Europe, the restaurant's rooftop terrace is fully open, allowing guests staying in Monte Carlo, Paris, to enjoy exquisite and delicious French pastries while bathing in the hot sunshine of the azure coastline.

"Oh, no, Mr. Han, you can't underestimate the methods these yacht brokers use to obtain information."

Antoine put a piece of chocolate bread into his mouth, making a dull chewing sound.

During the morning dinner talks, Han Yi basically listened quietly from the side, while Antoine Gachet, as the asset manager, communicated with the brokers in detail.Therefore, the latter can only eat a few bites to replenish energy between meetings.

"People who can afford eight-figure expensive toys will never show up at the door of any brokerage agency for no reason. This is not consistent with their social status and makes the entire consumption process less interesting and dignified. Therefore, brokers The most critical job is not even negotiating with customers, but how to find people who are interested and capable of starting this negotiation.”

“Not only do they need to be well aware of the frequent visitors to Monaco every year, especially those who stay at such luxury hotels, but they must also always pay attention to the dynamics of the global luxury goods consumer market. The luxury goods I am talking about here are not the so-called Chanel or Hermès rare leather bags. Nor the couture pieces of Jean-Paul Gaultier and Martin Margiela. Yes, they are expensive, but they are nothing more than an entry-level diversion. Anyone who can buy a Haussmann in the 16th arrondissement of Paris right now People living in apartments can afford one or two pieces of high-end fashion, so it doesn’t have much reference value.”

"What's more, there are many wealthy people who are really willing to spend a lot of money, but they don't recognize this... superficial consumption concept at all."

"So they are looking for wealthy gentry who are more culturally and spiritually complex." Han Yi raised his eyebrows and teased.

"That's one way to put it." Antoine Gachet clapped his hands and laughed. "It's difficult to find these people, but it's also very simple...For example, if you want to find these people in the United States, To develop ultra-high-net-worth clients, just find a way to sneak into the VIP box level on the day of the Super Bowl.”

"If you can't get in, it doesn't matter. In March, you can go to Aspen to watch the Downhill ski competition. A large number of customers who fly to Aspen fly on their own private jets. Where can people who don't like skiing go? Georgia, Augusta National, Masters. A grenade thrown into the middle of the crowd can explode at least twenty or thirty business leaders who enjoy sailing yachts."

“In May, there’s the Met Gala, the Kentucky Derby, the Cannes Film Festival, and of course, the most convenient one is the F1 Grand Prix held locally in Monaco. Then there’s the Royal Henley Regatta in June, Wimbledon in July, and Venice in August. Film festivals, the Boat Show in September – which is the one we’re attending now – the London Art Show in October, the Melbourne Cup in November, Art Basel Miami in December.”

"Where's January? Isn't there January?"

“January is easier, there are countless flights to St. Barth from all over France. When you get to the island, just walk into a bar, find a way to have a drink with the old man with the baldest head, and...voilà.”

"You make their lives sound boring and the same."

"If we have to analyze this problem from the perspective of repetition, then yes, the 0.1% annual plan is so unchanged. Compared with ordinary people, they are more afraid of being left behind by this era, and they need to stay together more for warmth."

"Then how did they find me?" Han Yi spread his hands, "I have never been to any of the activities you mentioned, and it is difficult..."

At this point, Han Yi suddenly stopped talking.

Just because you haven’t been there now doesn’t mean you won’t go in the future.

At least two or three of these activities are perfect occasions that can help him achieve his consumption goals.

"That's the second method I haven't mentioned yet." Antoine Gachet pointed to the "Le Monde" he had folded and placed aside, "Reading, a lot of reading."

"Read a lot of column comments from the social democratic camp?" Han Yi glanced at "Le Monde" written in the exclusive font designed by Jean-François Polches and looked up, smiling.

"I like them more than the conservatives in Figaro." Antoine curled his lips, "No, seriously, I read a lot of market updates."

"G650ER." Han Yi sighed softly, "Why am I not surprised at all... Antoine, in this case, what's the point of putting a shell on it?"

After spending 7000 million US dollars to buy a big toy, it is naturally impossible for Han Yi to directly put the plane in his personal name. Jordan Bromley helped him re-register a penetrating entity called N10AH.Inc. Logically speaking, no one should It's only right to know his true identity.

"There are no secrets when there are people, Mr. Han." Antoine replied, "Penetrating the entity can only make the vast majority of people look away, but it will definitely not prevent those few who are determined to find out. "

"But don't worry, these dozens of brokers don't make a living by selling secrets. Like I said, they just want to find the source of the next commission."

"Then let's review these 'careful people' who will keep my secrets." Han Yi stretched out, sat up straight, and looked at Antoine Gachet, "The first agent, and her What do you think of the exclusive assets that came? That elegant and gracious lady."

"Liz Cox, senior partner and operations manager at Cecil Wright."

"Cecil Wright, according to herself, is headquartered in Monaco, right?"

"Yes, well, the nominal headquarters is actually in London, near Piccadilly Circus. But basically all core business departments and brokers are active in Monaco." Speaking of which, Antoine Gachet said He straightened his arms and pointed to the right, "Not in Monte Carlo, but in the central city, on the first floor of the Paolivac Hotel."

“Is it considered the largest yacht brokerage agency in Monaco?”

"Not really, but it can be said to be one of the largest. We have many exclusive superyacht resources and many projects in progress." Antoine opened the brochure left by Liz Cox and took a look. At a quick glance, "The Madame Gu, the yacht owned by Andre Scochi, the founder of the steel giant Metalloinvest, and the AVIVA II, the yacht owned by Joe Lewis of the Tavistock investment group, were all the go-betweens to facilitate the transaction."

“Liz would be a good contact if we were looking to customize a new boat from Amels, Feadship and especially Abeking and Rassmussen.”

"I'm not ashamed to admit that I know nothing about yachts." Han Yi's left index finger circled his temple, "The introduction she just made was so fast that I didn't even hear these three words clearly. What exactly is the manufacturer called?”

“They are all the most upstream suppliers and shipyards of superyachts. Amels comes from Vlissingen in the Netherlands, which has nurtured the most powerful navy in the world since the [-]th century. Feadship also comes from the Netherlands and is a member of the Royal Van Lente and A joint venture between two shipyards, Royal de Vries. Abeking and Rassmussen are not Dutch, but not far away, in Lemwede near Bremen.”

"It sounds like those areas...east of England and west of Denmark seem to be very good at this business."

"Including the United Kingdom, yes. The Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom are all the countries in the world that are best at building yachts. And Turkey..."

"Turkey?" Han Yi's tone was quite surprising. He did not expect that this transcontinental country located on the Eurasian continental bridge would have an outstanding reputation in such high-end manufacturing. This was not consistent with Turkey's usual international image. .

"Believe it or not, they are the third largest yacht manufacturer in the world. Turquoise, Akyacht, Alia, Vicem, Sirena, Dunya and Bilgin, I can name you so many world-famous brands casually."

"Wow." Han Yi admired, "Your brain is like an encyclopedia that records the upper class society."

"When you join the Rothschild Heritage Group, they will make these quizzes, and you will be able to take the job after passing the test." Antoine Gachet shrugged humorously, "Every year, nearly fifty yachts leave from the Rothschild Heritage Group. Thalia Free Zone sails to all over the world, and this Monaco Yacht Show is also the same. At least a quarter of the yachts are from Turkey, I don’t know.”

"The second group of agents seems to represent Turkish brands." Han Yi recalled the brand names Antoine just mentioned and picked out a few options that he had only heard about 10 minutes ago.

"Sirena and Bilgin, yes. That's one of the great things about Ocean Independence - Lucas Stratmann, who you just met, is German, so, you know, his relationship with the Turkish shipyards will Closer. But this does not mean that he does not have other resources at his disposal. Royal Huisman of the Netherlands is his long-term and stable strategic partner."

"It seems he said he was a captain himself."

"I have sailed for a long time in the North Sea, the Mediterranean, and the North Atlantic, and now I still hold an ocean yacht captain certificate."

"It seems that you can make more money by selling a boat than by running a boat."

"A large yacht over 170 feet, with a senior captain who has been driving for 30 to 30 years, is always on call all year round, and no amount can exceed US$30." "$[-] is a lot." Han Yi expressed different opinions, "Any time all year round. On standby, but the time they can really use is only about a hundred hours, isn't it?" Not every season is suitable for sailing. What's more important is that even billionaires, few people can just leave at the drop of a hat. The luxury of walking, weighing anchor and heading out to sea.Most people still spend most of the year cooped up in boardrooms.

"They are also responsible for maintenance...Okay, I admit, this job is really leisurely, but think about it, the commission of a yacht broker is 10%, the buyer pays 60%, the seller pays 40%, and a single order is tens of millions of dollars The business is enough for the captains to make more than three years."

"Well, all I can say is... damn capitalism." Han Yi, who drank too much coffee and his tongue was a little numb, took a sip of ice water and smiled.

"Damn capitalism, indeed." Antoine Gachet put down the chocolate bread in his hand and pointed a little with his index finger in mid-air. "This is why I read Le Monde."

"But if they want to earn my commission, I'm afraid they have to work harder." Han Yi nuzzled in the direction of Antoine Gachet's desk, "Not to mention the small number of ships currently available, and the prices are not according to ours. Ask to come.”

"Because there are really very few existing boats that meet our price requirements." Antoine Gachet explained to Han Yi in a gentle tone. When meeting with a yacht broker or any luxury goods dealer, the most important thing is two phrases, " know your water”, and “define your needs”.

The first phrase, when it comes to yacht buying and selling, should be taken literally - know your waters.As a novice, this is something you must ask yourself before buying a yacht and let your broker know clearly.Salt water or fresh water, ocean or offshore.What are the hydrological conditions of the most frequented oceans, and what are the auxiliary facilities in the offshore areas where most activities occur.Where should the ship be parked? Should it be towed into a warehouse with a trailer to prevent seawater from eroding the surface if the ship owner does not use it frequently? Or should it be purchased directly at a berth at a pier and maintained regularly by a professional team.Every detail will affect the broker's recommendation and your final purchase decision.

The second phrase is to state the specific usage requirements as detailed and clearly as possible under the premise of laying out the basic conditions.What is the main purpose of buying a yacht and going out to sea? Fishing, rafting, hanging out, cruising, or having a secluded place to avoid the scrutiny of my wife's private detective.Which brands are your favorite and what type of boat are you looking for, sailed or fully engine driven?And the most important parameter, budget.

For Han Yi, other usage requirements can be flexibly changed, because he himself does not have any very strong hobbies related to navigation.Fishing, no.Drifting, don’t dare.Find a secluded place to avoid your wife... Although I owe a lot of love debt, there is no need to worry about this issue yet.

If you have to choose one, it is that, as Antoine Gachet said, it is more convenient to visit Mediterranean countries by yacht.

In addition, Han Yi himself knew nothing about yacht shipyards and brands in various countries. In the end, only two items in the list of requirements submitted by Antoine to various organizations were relatively clear.

First, don’t use wind sails. This is purely Han Yi’s personal aesthetic preference. Wind sails themselves are not driven purely by wind power. Most of the sail boats currently on the market are so-called motor sail boats and hybrid multi-hull boats.When there is no wind, sail by engine. When there is wind, turn off the engine and rely on the headwind to move forward.If you need to hurry up and hurry up, you can use the engine and sail at the same time.

This type of yacht uses less fuel. The main expenses are the cleaning of the sail body and the replacement of sails and rigging every few years. Therefore, the construction, operation and maintenance costs of a sailboat are compared with those of a pure motor yacht. much lower.For buyers with less budget, it is a more cost-effective option.Moreover, a considerable number of sailing enthusiasts are very keen on the "real and romantic experience of floating on the sea." In other words, they feel that only by sailing on the sea can they better reflect the charm of a sea vacation.

Han Yi does not have such an aesthetic. His preference for choosing a house is modern minimalism. He is not interested in French styles such as Haussmann apartments, let alone American Craftsman style, Georgian style, and colonial style. Revival style or Italianate style vintage mansion.

He has the same view on yachts.Human civilization needs to progress, and everything should keep pace with the times.The sailing ship has its unique historical and artistic value, but this kind of thing should enter the museum together with the Byzantine Empire, instead of stubbornly still trying to occupy a place in the market.

On this point, various brokerage agencies are relatively able to understand that everyone has different aesthetic concepts. Some buyers insist on having a mast, while others do not want to see such a cumbersome thing.To exist is to be reasonable, and to exist is to serve.But Han Yi's second request was obviously not something they could handle in a short time.

His second requirement is that the price must be at least US$5000 million and the ship must be current.

In Han Yi's view, his request was not excessive at all. The reason why he wanted an existing ship was because he was worried that if he had to start from scratch and place an order with the shipyard to build a customized yacht, the timeline would be too long.It usually takes 18 months to build a yacht, and if you want to build a superyacht, it will take at least three to four years before the fully customized vessel can sail on the sea.Paying the balance at that time obviously does not meet Han Yi's need to withdraw funds as soon as possible.

You said you can sign special terms with the shipyard and require a one-time full payment in advance?
Not to mention how absurd this kind of request would appear to outsiders, just by going through the plot in his own mind, Han Yi also knew that he would rush to pay the full amount and then wait for three or four years to pay for it. , will definitely not bring him particularly strong positive emotional feedback.

If you buy something and it takes four years for it to arrive, how much of a discount will you have to give to your satisfaction?
Therefore, to find the ship is not only Han Yi's reasonable request, but also the bottom line that he must be satisfied.

Only in this way can he get the reward in the shortest time and continue the snowballing plan.

Han Yi feels that his demand is reasonable, but in the eyes of a truly knowledgeable yacht broker, it is not easy to satisfy this requirement.At least it's not something that an ordinary brokerage agency can do.

Let’s make a comparison. Since 2008, an average of 5500 luxury apartments priced at more than US$100 million have been sold in New York every year.

And what about superyachts?

Different institutions and media have different definitions of superyachts. Some people believe that the length of the hull must exceed 40 meters to be considered a superyacht, while others believe that as long as the details meet the standards, yachts over 24 meters can be called An entry-level model for superyachts.And more people will use the middle value to calculate, that is, a yacht with a hull length of 30 meters/98 feet or more can be called a super yacht.

So, how many superyachts are there in total that are still in operation around the world?
5396 ships.

In other words, since the advent of the yacht industry, the world's richest people have accumulated wealth and resources for so long, and the number of ships that can sail at the same time on the sea is still not as good as the annual transaction volume in New York.

What's more important is that many of the more than 5000 yachts were shortlisted with a 30-meter line, and they can be bought in full for US$200 million.

You know, in New York, a million-dollar apartment is not considered luxurious.

If you want to meet the two conditions set by Han Yi at the same time, the hull length must be at least 50-60 meters, and it must be a new model from a well-known shipyard in recent years. Only then can it reach more than 5000 million US dollars.

Although a super yacht is out of reach for ordinary people, with the disposable wealth reaching Han Yi's level, there are still few options that can catch his eye.

"For example, the one Liz Cox highly recommends, Flag, has an asking price of 3950 million euros. Do they think I will be attracted by mentioning Tommy Hilfiger's name? His houses in Palm Beach and New York I both find it ugly... but we both said privately that the same is true for this ship. It's too old, built in 2000, and decorated in the last century."

"This ship is not my favorite either." Antoine Gachet agreed.

"The other one, please give me the information and I will take a look... Amels Shipyard, built in 2003, Calypso... 4000 million euros, a ship owned by Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov. Its interior decoration, I I don’t know how to describe it. If I were to buy it and use it, even the ceiling would have to be knocked out and reinstalled.”

"Prokhorov is 50 years old after all, Mr. Han." Antoine Gachet smiled, "The things he liked when he was young are now called the 80s style."

"It happened to be the decade when aesthetic standards regressed the most." Han Yi took a deep breath and continued to flip through the information Antoine put in front of him. "Edmiston is even more exaggerated. I wonder if they specialize in collecting antiques. Bleu de Nimes, A 1980 ship costs 4700 million euros, and it looks like it’s from the same era as the Titanic.”

"The other two options mentioned to me were Voyager, 1973, for 850 million euros, and Sanoo, for 750 million euros. Before leaving, he asked me if I wanted to consider the 2001 sailboat. What was it called, Silencio... I doubt they want me as a customer at all.”

"Many yacht brokers are like this. Their resources are good and bad, depending on whether they can get a new boat during that period." Antoine Gachet stretched out his hand and pulled out another book of information from under the pile of documents. “I personally think that the current ship resources provided by the third group of brokers we met, IYC, should be the best.”

"Yes." Han Yi nodded, "I agree."

"This one is very attractive. Martha Ann, Warren Haller's boat. Delivered in 2008 and rebuilt in 2014. Originally asking for $1 million, now priced at $7900 million. If you buy it during the boat show, you can get even less. 4%.”

"70 meters, 230 feet. One of only two yachts sold by Lusson Shipyard in Monaco this year. It can accommodate 12 guests and 17 crew members, with a cruising speed of 14 knots and a top speed of 15.5 knots. There is even a An elevator.”

"I really like the design of the elevator, but..." Han Yi rubbed his temples, "It's still a decoration problem. I really don't want to live in a retro bedroom that only an 80-year-old man would like after going to sea... It will make I had a lot of bad associations.”

"The other option they gave is more modern." Antoine Gachet slid his fingertips a few inches down the paper. "Icon was delivered in 2010 and reinstalled in 2014, lengthening it by five meters. An outdoor swimming pool was also added, and a gym, hammam and sauna were added inside. The interior should be exactly what you want, extremely modern. Overall, it’s a step above Martha Ann.”

"I quite like this ship. Of all the options I have seen so far, this one impresses me the most." Han Yi thought for a moment, "If there is no better choice, this might be it... When we get on the ship, I’ll make the final decision. But...it still doesn’t make me..."

"Do you feel like the king of the world?" Antoine Jiashe helped Han Yi finish the unspoken sentence.

"That's not my intention." Han Yi raised an index finger and was about to shake it when he suddenly remembered something and chuckled, "But it's almost the same."

"It's big enough, new enough, and good enough."

“But I also wanted something bigger, newer, and better.”

As well as more expensive.

Han Yi swallowed the last word back into his stomach.

"I understand, Mr. Han. It is precisely because I understand your appeal that I..."

Having said this, Antoine looked back inside the restaurant and saw two figures walking towards them.

"Put them in last for the morning meeting."

“They are good friends that I have worked with for many years, from Moran Yacht & Ship.”

"What they brought is the most expensive yacht at this Monaco Yacht Show."

"With a total length of 80 meters, it is one of the most proud works of Lutsen Shipyard. It was delivered in 2008 and reinstalled in 2011. Even if the price is reduced by 3800 million today, you still have to pay 9200 million euros to get it."

"Not only in Monaco, but also in the whole world, this is a unique work of art. I have climbed it twice, and that wonderful experience is something I will never forget."

"Its name is TV."

(End of this chapter)