America: My Time

Chapter 355 The Strategy Behind the Shares
Chapter 355 The Strategy Behind the Shares
John's estate not only had earthquake resistance requirements, but also even higher requirements in other aspects, especially in terms of security, which were astonishing. It could be said that the estate's security level was not much worse than that of the White House. If it weren't for the luxurious decorations, the contractors would have thought they were building a doomsday fortress, which shocked them.

Upon hearing his uncle mention real estate, John couldn't help but think of his property in Greater Paris, and said, "Uncle, have you taken care of my property in Greater Paris? I had completely forgotten about it!"

"Don't worry, I've taken care of everything for you. However, I don't understand why you're so obsessed with real estate. I've heard you're buying estates in Europe. Is it worth it? You probably don't even stay there more than a few times a year!"

“Uncle, I didn’t buy those estates entirely for my own residence. It’s more about making money and building my own resort brand. You’ll see once those estates are all renovated.”

John's acquisition of European estates wasn't primarily for his own residence; it was more about strategically positioning himself to develop estate hotels and resorts. These estates were all properties under the Mandarin Oriental umbrella, not directly under John's name. Besides estates, there were also islands. This was the perfect time to acquire resort islands; if he acted quickly and completed the acquisition before the bubble burst, with those crazy Japanese investors around, his investment would be recouped much faster.

Of course, no one would believe it now. Just like John's acquisitions in Japan, even the Japanese think it's a bit crazy and unbelievable, especially John's layout in Tokyo, where each villa is worth a fortune.

Many people know about John's frenzied acquisitions in Japan and Europe, but no one pays much attention to it. They think it's just John's hobby, like his crazy acquisition of wineries, and don't care.

If someone were to do a careful calculation, they would realize that John owns an astonishing number of wineries and estates, as well as farms in the United States and Australia, especially in Australia, where he controls a considerable number of farms. The same is true in the United States, except that these farms are all for his own family.

The Mandarin Oriental Group is now accelerating its development according to John's requirements, working overtime to maximize its profits when the Japanese bubble bursts. Pan Am's acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines was originally intended for those Japanese, but due to the recent events in the US, John had to temporarily put it aside and prepare for it later.

“I can’t argue with you, and I can’t understand or accept it. But how long will it take you to prepare everything? It won’t be a long time, will it?” At this point, Justin had to change the subject.

"It'll be all arranged in a day or two. I need to get in touch with the Chinese side first, otherwise it'll be a problem for so many of us to get passports. Uncle, do you have something on your mind? Or are you thinking of taking Amaniu with you to China?" Suddenly, John felt that there was something wrong with his uncle. Perhaps after being asked the obvious, his uncle's thoughts had changed!
"Yes, Amaniu is interested in traveling to China with us to relax. Sophie also has the same idea, since the incident with Gaumeng still makes her a little angry, but the two of them are too embarrassed to say it!"

"Oh, is that so? It's not a big deal. I have no objection. As long as you feel it's okay, that's fine." John didn't think there was anything wrong with the situation and didn't care. It was just two more people traveling with him. This time, John wasn't only traveling with his family; he also had a team of secretaries accompanying him, so two more people wouldn't cause him any trouble.

By the time Ye Qianwen arrived in San Francisco, John's work arrangements were complete. There was a reason why Ye Qianwen was late: she first went back to Canada to see her family before coming to San Francisco, making her the last to arrive.

When John saw yet another beautiful woman appear, his uncle Justin looked at him with a hint of shock. John, however, paid no attention to his uncle's gaze. After communicating with the Consul General in San Francisco, John and his party finally set off, flying directly to Bordeaux.

The presence of so many beautiful women around John surprised both Armani Béart and Sophie Marceau, and even brought a hint of melancholy to Sophie's eyes. Unfortunately, John didn't notice the change in her gaze. Although John liked beautiful women, he had no designs on this particular one, because her tastes were different. Otherwise, she wouldn't have fallen in love with the director Andrzej Zulawski, who was 26 years her senior, during filming, and even had a child with him.

As for whether it was love or some other transaction, John wasn't sure. After all, this was the entertainment industry, a chaotic circle, and more importantly, a circle of exchanging interests. Exchanges between beautiful women and directors were commonplace, especially for big-name directors who were surrounded by all sorts of beautiful women. Most importantly, John wasn't lacking in beautiful women and didn't have the time or energy to waste on such trivial matters. "Are you sure you want to leave the entertainment industry?" John was somewhat surprised by Zhong Chuhong's decision. She had only been in the industry for a few years and was at the height of her popularity; to make the decision to retire was something not everyone could do.

“Yes, I’m sure!” Chung Chu-hung said firmly, without a trace of hesitation or reluctance in her eyes.

"Okay, whatever makes you happy." John is very generous to his women. Beauties like Cherie Chung are not short of money. It's not a bad thing that they are willing to give up their previous acting careers after achieving financial freedom.

After a moment's thought, John continued, "Well then, since you're all here, I'd like to talk to you about something! The Forever Group will be expanding globally. You all saw the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show; that was just the beginning. We'll be accelerating our expansion in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and other places. Since you've decided to retire from the entertainment industry, Chung Chor-hung, you can register your name at the newly established Luk Fook Jewellery in Hong Kong. Ye Qianwen, register your name at Daphne, Naoko, choose Victoria's Secret, Akina, register your name at Uniqlo, and Akiko, choose Oriental Flower. Each of you will get five percent of the shares!"

John hadn't originally intended to do this, but when Cherie Chung was about to retire from the entertainment industry, a sudden inspiration struck him. John also had his own thoughts on Naoko's choice to work for Victoria's Secret, believing it would make it easier for Victoria's Secret to expand in Japan. The same logic applied to Akina. Uniqlo needed to develop rapidly and increase its advertising, so having them as spokespeople was a good choice.

These young women were well aware of Victoria's Secret's rapid growth and soaring market value. At this moment, they all stared at John in shock, stunned by his extravagant move. Although each of them held a different number of shares, they hadn't expected John to make such a decision.

"Alright, that's settled then. You'll all get a share of the profits, but how much you get will depend on your luck. Of course, you'll also need to do some promotion yourself." Seeing the women hesitate, he waved his hand, telling them not to say anything and just to listen to him.

Things have been arranged for the Forever Group. However, John also needs to address another issue. Previously, his father handled everything at the winery, but perhaps it's time to let these beautiful women get involved in that aspect and learn about management.

John now owns quite a few wineries and farms. These wineries and farms aren't structured as companies, and John doesn't expect them to generate much profit for him; they're simply there to maintain his quality of life. American food isn't as high-quality as he'd imagined; natural, organic food produced on his own farm is always the best. It's with this in mind that John has acquired so many farms, from staple foods to vegetables to fruits. This has led some older folks to believe that John is now pursuing a life of farming and health.

John's 'madness' will continue, which is the best time to buy up wineries at rock-bottom prices. Before the Plaza Accord takes effect, it's best to spend the large amount of dollars in his hands as soon as possible, otherwise, if the dollar depreciates, he will suffer huge losses if he still holds a large amount of dollars.

This is precisely why John's employees in Europe are accelerating their acquisitions of wineries, even at premiums. It's John's aggressive acquisition spree that has made the French feel threatened, prompting them to try and stop him, but they simply can't. The current economic climate has hampered the development of these top wineries, even threatening their survival. Under these circumstances, who would refuse John's large-scale, premium acquisitions?

Because John is only targeting top wineries, and ordinary wineries are not his goal, the pressure he faces is limited. Moreover, this is not entirely a personal matter, but also involves corporate actions. Southern Group is John's best support, and Neon Bank is his best assistant, allowing Southern Group to operate without any pressure.

The wine industry is another major pillar of the Southern Group. Their expansion is not only frantic in beer but also astonishing in wine. They quickly acquired four major champagne brands: Riccardi, Perrier-Jouët, Blanc de Blancs, and Veuve Clicquot. John also personally acquired Château Krug, a champagne house often referred to as the "Rolls-Royce" of champagne. Such aggressive acquisitions understandably terrified the French, explaining their efforts to prevent John's takeover of French wineries.

(End of this chapter)