1977: The beginning of the blind date with the daughter of the king

Chapter 518 The Power of HSBC

"Boss, this is the list of people who have signed up to go to the Middle East. The number of people is a bit beyond imagination."

In the office of Oriental Building, Catherine handed a list to Li Changhe.

This is the list of employees in his financial company who have signed up to go to the Middle East.

Originally, Li Changhe thought that the number of people would not be large. After all, there were risks in the Middle East. He also asked Catherine to tell the employees below.

But looking at the names on the list now, the number is much more than he expected.

"Why are there so many people?"

Li Changhe looked at the list and asked curiously.

Catherine looked at her boss and said with a smile: "Boss, you don't know now what motivates them to go on a business trip."

"The people who took the initiative to go to the United States with you last time not only received generous bonuses and good food, but most importantly, many of them stayed in the United States. For example, Zhou Cheng has now brought his entire family to the United States."

"This made many people who stayed in the company regret it, after all, those were real dollars."

"Now, you've finally asked for a second chance overseas, even though it's in the Middle East, but many people still want to seize the opportunity."

"The risks in the Middle East are totally disproportionate to the expected monetary gains in the future. They don't care at all."

After hearing Catherine's explanation, Li Changhe shook his head slightly.

People die for money, and birds die for food. It has been like this since ancient times.

"Boss, take a look at how these people are selected?"

Catherine asked Li Changhe softly at this time.

Li Changhe picked up the list and took a look. There were many names on it, many of whom were employees who had performed well recently.

“What percentage of the company do these people make up?”

Li Changhe asked curiously.

"About one-third, but they are all backbones. Because you took some people away last time, and the company recruited some more later. Although there are many people left, many of them are new."

The person in charge of the financial company used to be Mary, Wells' secretary.

However, after Wells went to the United States, Mary was transferred away, and Catherine took over the management of all these. Although she is now Li Changhe's secretary, she also holds many other positions.

"Since they want to go, let them all go. The company will continue to recruit people, and the assessment standards will remain unchanged."

Li Changhe looked at the list and said casually.

"Are you all going?"

"Boss, shall we continue to recruit people?"

Catherine was a little surprised. Why would her boss make such a big move?
"Someone is paying for all the expenses anyway, so just go and treat it as training."

"We will notify those who have registered and ask them to make their final decision. Anyone who agrees to participate will go to the conference room for the meeting."

Li Changhe closed the list and said casually to Catherine.

Since so many people took the initiative, Li Changhe certainly would not refute it. Anyway, Tarak and his team would bear the expenses for going there.

Moreover, in a few years, he will make arrangements in the global financial market. The Plaza Accord in 85 was not signed by only Japan. The British pound, the German mark, and the French franc all participated in the appreciation of the US dollar.

Therefore, Li Changhe will have a great demand for financial instrument people in the future. Relying solely on the Hong Kong stock market will not be able to support so many people.

Since he wants to plan ahead, the team members must be selected slowly.

"Understood, I'll make the arrangements now."

Soon, Catherine finalized the list, and then nearly a hundred people came to a large conference room.

When Li Changhe arrived here, the conference room was packed with people.

Seeing their mysterious boss walk in, everyone in the conference room looked at Li Changhe.

"Everyone, I still want to emphasize one thing to you. The risk of this business trip is much greater than the previous trip to the United States."

"Because you are going to the Middle East, which is right next to the battlefield between Iran and Iraq, and it is a theocratic country. They are not as free and open as the United States, and there are many taboos that are completely different from Hong Kong Island."

"So when you go there this time, you will often face unpredictable risks. Even if the company has partners there, it cannot completely guarantee your safety."

"After all, there's a vast desert over there. If someone really hurts you and buries you in the desert, it will be difficult for us to rescue you."

"So, I need to confirm again whether you have really decided to go there. If anyone wants to quit now, it's not too late."

"The company will have other business trip opportunities in the future, and I hope everyone will make decisions carefully."

After sitting down, Li Changhe did not encourage anyone in front of the microphone, but instead emphasized the risks of this trip again.

Sure enough, after Li Changhe finished speaking again, the expressions of some of the people below began to change.

It would be fine if the company's people said so, but the fact that the big boss emphasized it so much also shows that this business is not that safe.

"I still recommend that everyone think carefully about it, especially those with family responsibilities."

"Well, I'll give you another half an hour. Don't think this is a test. I'm speaking from the bottom of my heart. The risk this time is really high."

Then, half an hour later, looking at the remaining eighty-five employees in the conference room, Li Changhe smiled.

More than a dozen people chose to withdraw.

As for the rest, they have obviously made their choice.

"Now, I want to tell you the first thing about your business trip. That is, the market you are going to this time is a fake stock market, not a formal official market."

After recounting the details of this business trip to these employees, Li Changhe reorganized them according to their positions and divided them into eight groups, with each group receiving a rental quota ranging from 20 million to 40 million US dollars.

At that time, they will go to Kuwait to describe it separately according to this quota.

Three hundred million U.S. dollars is a bit large at one time, but if it is dispersed and injected there, tens of millions of U.S. dollars will actually be better.

After the meeting, a group of people went back to pack their luggage and headed straight to the airport.

This time, Tarak chartered a plane directly to Riyadh. At that time, they would go from Riyadh to Dammam and then transfer to Kuwait.

"Vic, you really don't want to go there with me? I want to entertain you well in my own palace."

At the airport, Tarak said to Li Changhe helplessly.

Li Changhe shook his head: "I'm busy lately. If the situation over there isn't over in two months, I'll probably go over there."

"Don't worry, the people I arrange for you are all very professional financial professionals. When they get there, they will know what to do."

The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and Li Changhe certainly doesn't have the time to go there.

What's more, it would be useless for him to go there, as he has no memory of the market there, and it also follows the conventional stock market manipulation methods. He may not be able to compare with the employees below.

"Besides, I still have to talk to HSBC and transfer the money."

"Okay, then when you go, be sure to contact me in advance. I will treat you well and let you taste our special roast camel."

“Very delicious.”

"Don't worry, I will definitely go." Li Changhe nodded in agreement.

Then the plane took off and flew to the Middle East with Prince Tarak and Li Changhe's subordinates.

After leaving Kaide Airport, Li Changhe returned to his office.

On the other side, in the office of HSBC, Shen Bi looked at the report submitted below, speechless.

I had just agreed with Li Changhe that 200 million US dollars would be deposited in the HSBC account, but less than a month has passed and 100 million US dollars has to be transferred out.

However, the destination bank surprised Shen Bi a little, because it was still a branch of HSBC, but the destination was in Kuwait.

“What was that guy’s money transferred to Kuwait for?”

Shen Bi looked at the message curiously, then picked up the phone on the table. He planned to ask the other end.

After a while, Shen Bi put down the phone with a frown.

"Boss, Mr. Shen Bi from HSBC called and wants to invite you to dinner tonight. Do you want to agree?"

"Shen Bi?"

Li Changhe returned to the office and thought about it after hearing what Catherine said. Then he nodded and said, "Promise him."

Soon, it was evening and Li Changhe arrived at the restaurant booked by Shen Bi early.

He originally thought he had arrived early enough, but unexpectedly Shen Bi arrived earlier than him.

At this time, Shen Bi was looking at Li Changhe with full of sighs.

In the whole of Hong Kong Island, there are no more than ten people who are worthy of his invitation, and there has never been anyone as old as Li Changhe among them.

But now, it seems that he has invited Li Changhe two or three times, and each time it seems that he took the initiative to invite him.

"Sir, I didn't expect you to arrive so early!"

Li Changhe originally wanted to arrive early to show courtesy. After all, Shen Bi was older than him on the surface, so he still had to give him some face.

"I have nothing to do this afternoon, so I came here first and took in the scenery."

The place where Shen Bi and Li Changhe agreed to have dinner was not in the bustling city, but on the top of Victoria Peak, where there is a Western restaurant with a history of nearly a hundred years.

The restaurant has an outdoor garden with an exclusive area overlooking the entire Victoria Harbour. It is a favorite of foreigners like Shen Bi.

After all, sitting here and looking at the prosperity below, that was all the territory they had seized.

"Take a seat, Vic. I'll treat you to Indian food today. How about that?"

In addition to Western food, the restaurant also serves Indian food and other dishes from other places.

"Okay, I have no problem with that. I've never really eaten Indian food."

Li Changhe said with a smile.

"That's fine. I was afraid you wouldn't like it."

After ordering the food, Shen Bi continued, "Vick, I saw that you transferred another sum of money to Kuwait today. Are you joining the speculative feast?"

HSBC has a branch in Kuwait, so it naturally knows something about the fake stock market incident.

After just one phone call, Shen Bi guessed Li Changhe's purpose. After all, apart from the stock market, the only thing left for Kuwait is oil.

Li Changhe will not continue to buy oil at this time, right?
"Sure enough, nothing can be hidden from Sir."

"But this project is not led by me. I have a friend in the Middle East. That is his territory and he is also the one leading this matter. I just took advantage of the situation to get involved."

"Speaking of this matter, I still need Mr. Jazz's help."

"By then, we estimate that another sum of money will flow into HSBC, and I want to help him open a dedicated account."

Li Changhe said softly.

After Shen Bi heard this, he smiled and looked at Li Changhe: "Vick, there is no problem with opening a dedicated account, but the source of the money cannot be a problem. Although Kuwait is only a small country, they are an important customer of HSBC. If they investigate some things, it will be difficult for us to handle it."

"Don't worry, it's not a big deal. A few princes over there invested some of their pocket money in Kuwait. They want to transfer it to Europe or America as an additional account for their own use."

"There is no special benefit involved. Besides, their country doesn't care about their stock market, so it has nothing to do with us."

Li Changhe didn't hide it much.

In fact, Tarak and his men don't care about this matter. The money is not ill-gotten, it is their own money. Kuwait makes a profit and then puts it in Europe and the United States for their own use. In fact, they are not afraid of investigation at all.

It’s just that they didn’t want to do it in a high-profile manner, so they asked Li Changhe for help.

When Shen Bi heard Li Changhe's words, his heart moved slightly.

prince?

There are many princes in the Middle East, but many of them are princes from small countries. It is unlikely that Li Changhe will get in touch with them, unless?
"Vic, the prince you are talking about is not the Saudi prince Tarak, right? I heard that you have a good relationship with this Saudi prince in the United States."

Shen Bi asked curiously at this time.

A look of surprise appeared on Li Changhe's face: "Sir, you know all this?"

Shen Bi smiled and said, "HSBC also has a branch in Saudi Arabia. In fact, the matter is not that troublesome at all."

"HSBC also has a branch in Saudi Arabia? Why haven't I heard Tarak mention it?"

"If I had known it was so convenient, I wouldn't have had to participate at all."

Li Changhe pretended to be surprised and said at this time.

Shen Bi shook his head: "The bank we have over there is the British Bank in Saudi Arabia. Maybe it has nothing to do with HSBC. In fact, it was founded by HSBC. In addition, the Bank of England in the Middle East is also held by HSBC and is considered one of its subsidiaries."

"So if you have funding and channel needs in the Middle East, HSBC can help you."

"Vic, HSBC's century-old history is actually much deeper than you think. Cooperating with HSBC will definitely benefit you in every way."

"But what your uncle told you last time about being an independent director is, to be honest, very difficult!"

"It's not that I don't want to give it to you, but now that your uncle has become a senior executive at HSBC, if you take the position of independent director, the shareholders will not agree, because they feel that you are not just yourself, you and your uncle represent the entire family."

"This is only possible unless your uncle quits HSBC and you take over his position."

Shen Bi spoke to Li Changhe seriously at this moment. In fact, he was taking this opportunity to persuade Li Changhe to change his conditions.

After all, the conditions Li Changhe proposed before were simply impossible.

Li Changhe smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Well, Sir, I thought it was too simple at the beginning."

Li Changhe guessed that Bao Yugang must have thought about this before, but out of courtesy, he did not tell him directly.

However, Shen Bi's words today also made Li Changhe re-recognize the power of HSBC.

Unexpectedly, they also have so many branches in the Middle East. This was really beyond Li Changhe's expectations.

He really needs to re-evaluate his cooperation with HSBC.

(End of this chapter)