The helicopter landed in a seaside estate at the eastern end of East Hampton. David Rubinstein, the head of the Carlyle Group, got off the helicopter. He subconsciously raised the collar of his windbreaker in the cold wind brought by the wings and looked around. The manor is tightly surrounded by all kinds of evergreen plants. Even the lawn under the feet is still green. It is not at all desolate in winter like many other mansions in the Hampton area. Even though he is not poor at all, he still can't help it. I felt a bit of hatred towards the rich.
Behind the maintenance of such an estate is money.
Moreover, this is just one of the many estates in Westeros in the Hampton area. There have been media reports that just because of one person's large-scale purchases, house prices in many popular wealthy areas across the United States have risen sharply in recent years.
Two uniformed Weijia maids came over. David Rubinstein quickly put away these thoughts, briefly greeted one of the tall girls with an Eastern European face, and followed her towards the British-style villa not far away. Go.
Entering the warm spring-like villa, David Rubinstein was taking off his thick windbreaker and handing it to a lady, when a faint burst of female laughter came.
Apparently there's more than one.
Curious in my heart, I can only be curious after all.
He was taken to a reception room next to the lobby. The Eastern European girl personally brought coffee and explained that her boss was changing clothes and would be there soon.
Of course David Rubinstein had no objections. He had come a few minutes early.
Simon soon appeared, wearing a beige long-sleeved T-shirt and khaki trousers, with slippers on his feet. His hair was still a little wet. It was not difficult to think of what the other party had just been doing. Rubinstein couldn't help but fantasize about the interior of the villa. The possible fragrant spring scenery in the bath.
Damn super rich people!
After greeting, the two of them had just sat down on the sofa when the Eastern European girl appeared again, followed by another waitress, holding towels and slippers in her hands. She walked to her boss and gestured to the towel in her hand, and said softly: " Boss, Ms. Davis said it’s easy to catch a cold this way, and Madam will be very angry.”
Simon nodded.
The Eastern European girl walked behind her boss and gently used a towel to dry the man's hair. Another waitress came to Simon's feet and knelt down, took off the plastic slippers on his feet, and dried them with a towel first. , and then put on a pair of cotton slippers just brought in.
David Rubinstein waited for the two waitresses to leave after doing this. His heart was numb and he still doubted life. I have been flying trapeze for most of the past month. During the short few hours of sleep every day, I never forget to think about the company's affairs in my dreams. In the end, I won't be contributing to other people's wealth and gentleness, right
Simon didn't have the time to ponder the complex thoughts of the fund manager. After Carmen and the two left, he asked directly: "How was the result of this trip to China?"
Today is Sunday, November 17th.
In the past week, David Rubinstein returned to China again and officially launched negotiations on some investment projects.
When David Rubinstein heard Simon's question, he quickly cheered up, took out a stack of information from the briefcase he carried with him, handed one of the black folders to Simon, opened his memo, and said: "It's very... It went well. We hired a team from Goldman Sachs as a financial consultant this time and have started to conduct a financial review and asset restructuring of Xugong Group. In addition, the joint venture negotiations for Sany Heavy Industry have basically finalized 35% of the shares. The only thing that is at stake at present is the investment amount. There is also the Liugong Group in Guangxi Province that the boss selected last time, and the feedback from the other party is also very positive."
XCMG and SANY were the targets chosen by Rubinstein during his trip to China in October, and this time they started to make formal progress.
Liugong Group is a company that Simon personally finalized after agreeing to Chen Qing's Gu cultivation plan. In addition to the main reason that this company ranks among the top in the industry in memory, there is another reason why Simon occupies a place in Yangshuo. On the top of the mountain, they have been eagerly looking forward to it for several years, and they must give back to a big project.
Since you want to raise Gu, three families are certainly not enough, but there is no point in rushing in this regard, you must take your time.
Simon looked through the information in his hand and asked: "How is your team's contact with the Perkins engine company in the UK?"
David Rubinstein said: "I have formed an investigation team and started collecting information from Perkins Engine Company. If everything goes well, we can launch it early next year."
Perkins Engine Company is a world-renowned diesel engine company, and for many construction machinery, diesel engines are also a top priority. China is now able to produce its own engines, but many high-power construction machinery engines still need to be imported.
This involves another strategy of the Westeros system to lay out the construction machinery industry.
At the beginning, according to everyone’s idea, they hoped to use Carlyle’s funds as the lead to introduce overseas construction machinery technology into China and boost the development of related industries.
During this period of time, I tried a lot and found that it didn’t work.
At this stage, heavy industry companies from Japan, South Korea, Europe and the United States have basically established their presence in China, but at the same time, they are generally not optimistic about the development of related industries in China.
As for the reason, it is still arrogance and prejudice in the bones. This kind of arrogance and prejudice in North America is even worse. So far, among the major construction machinery giants in the Federation, only Caterpillar has set up branches in China. Others such as Case and Deere Companies such as , Dreiser, etc. have either not been involved at all, or are just dispensable sales companies.
Since Carlyle is not optimistic about it, it should be a good idea for Carlyle to take the initiative to spend money to develop some technologies from these companies, right
Or not.
Even some second- and third-tier construction machinery companies that are unable to make ends meet, during the contact process with Carlyle, they are basically self-conscious while asking for exorbitant prices, and the conditions they offer are difficult to accept.
Simon also felt for the first time the profound irreconcilable contradiction between American financial capital and industrial capital.
In this case, Simon, who had been personally paying attention to this matter during this period, decisively changed his strategy after discussing it with the Carlyle team.
The first is to China.
The layout continues, either through acquisitions or equity investments. First use money to open the way. After all, construction machinery is not an automobile industry with several levels of higher technical requirements. As long as there are templates and no shortage of funds, with China’s own R&D capabilities, most products It can be done gradually.
Secondly, of course there are things that cannot be done. So, whatever China lacks, Carlyle will help buy it.
The British Perkins Engine Company was Carlyle's first target.
Most construction machinery uses diesel engines. China has been able to produce its own diesel engines for a long time, but its technical level is difficult to meet the needs of many construction machinery. This is the shortcoming of most of China's construction machinery giants.
On the other hand, compared to the United States, the UK's heavy industry has declined even more. It has been constantly selling out over the years, which gave Carlyle an opportunity.
Moreover, the market value of Perkins Engine Company is currently only about US$1 billion. Even including the possible premium for the acquisition, it will never exceed US$1.5 billion.
Simon has only prepared US$1 billion to invest in China's construction machinery field. Now it is necessary to spend more than one billion US dollars for an engine company, which seems a bit uneconomical.
This is certainly not the case.
First of all, this money is certainly not borne entirely by the Westeros system.
Simon's current capital layout goal basically focuses on penetration and control through sharing, and does not pursue complete interests. Therefore, Simon only plans to occupy 30% to 50% of the equity in each project.
Secondly, Perkins Engine Company is still the engine supplier to many large construction machinery giants in the world, such as Caterpillar. However, because it is at the ceiling of the industry and the general environment is not good, the current operating conditions are somewhat limited. Unsatisfactory.
According to the proposed plan, after buying the company, Carlyle will close Perkins Engine Company's high-cost factories in the United Kingdom and the United States and transfer manufacturing to China in order to significantly reduce production costs. Develop emerging customers in China.
When this company regains its vitality, whether it is continued to be held or relisted to cash out, it will be a very cost-effective business, and it can also assist the layout of China's construction machinery industry in the Westeros system.
This is of course also quite an ideal state.
However, due to cost reasons, related industries have moved to China, which is an overall trend in the global construction machinery field.
It is expected that after the new millennium, global construction machinery giants will flock to China. What Simon is doing now is to plan ahead and take advantage of the situation. By then, when other giants have reacted, the Westeros system will have been able to establish an industrial barrier through its own layout and divide as much of the dividends of this part of the industry as possible.
Simon carefully looked through the information in his hand while discussing various details with Rubinstein. Unknowingly, more than half an hour had passed.
As the meeting came to an end, Simon closed the folder he had flipped through twice and said to Rubinstein: "One more thing, you know that I have a lot of investments in Ukraine, let's not talk about these. We all know that the former Soviet Union The foundation of heavy industry is actually very strong, and a large part of it has been inherited by Ukraine. I want you to contact my person in charge in Ukraine, Celia Miller, and set up a team in the near future to collect the technology and talents we need in Ukraine, and then Move to China. Just like the Black Sea Shipyard in Odessa, which was the aircraft carrier manufacturing base of the former Soviet Union, the port machinery involved will be very useful to XCMG, which we are negotiating with, and can even become our bargaining chip. Also There are mining machinery in Donetsk, but in short, you operate these yourself, I only look at the results."
David Rubinstein also knew the general details behind the recent Sherban assassination. Hearing what Simon said, the fund manager's eyes also lit up, but he did not expect this. Until now, the whole world is still To dig into the corners of the former Soviet Union, the engineering machinery technology of the former Soviet Union was originally looked down upon by the Federation, but it is more than enough for use in China.
However, just as he was about to nod, David Rubinstein came to his senses and said, "Simon, the Black Sea Shipyard is a bit sensitive when it comes to warships and aircraft carriers. Washington may get involved."
Of course Simon understood what Rubinstein was implying and said: "Clearing Washington is what you are good at, and, no matter what, we only collect what can be transferred to China, and we won't touch what cannot be touched."
David Rubinstein thought about it and nodded: "Then I will contact Ms. Miller later."
The topic is over here.
David Rubinstein combed through it, made sure there was nothing missing, and stood up to leave.
Simon sent Rubinstein out of the villa, remembered something, and asked, "Should Dole's appointment at Carlyle have been finalized, right?"
"Dole has already agreed. However, Dole's original words are that after decades of busy work, he plans to recuperate for a period of time. He will not formally join the company until next spring."
Simon nodded.
In fact, I understand that it is more about waiting for the media attention caused by the election to completely cool down. After all, it is not good-looking to switch to private companies just after losing the election.
After watching Rubinstein leave in a helicopter, Simon returned to the villa.
After asking Carmen who came up to him, Simon came to a living room on the second floor of the villa. Four big fairies, all wrapped in bathrobes, were lazily scattered around the room. They were two oriental fairies, Jian Xin and Tao Yuelei, and the one above. Roberta Chilko and Anneliese Thurbert, who had just been attracted by Simon and got very close to Jane Xin, were either leaning on the sofa watching TV or sitting by the window. Sip coffee and read a magazine while enjoying the afternoon sunshine, or curl up on the sofa in a corner with a pillow and take a nap with your eyes closed.
Seeing Simon appear, the goblins became energetic again.
Tao Yuelei also woke up Jian Xin who was sleeping.
Simon walked to the couch in the middle and sat down, put his arms around Tao Yuelei, kissed the girl on the face, and looked at Jian Xin who woke up in a daze on the other side.
"boring?"
Jian Xin twisted her body and rested her head on Simon's lap. She shook her head slightly and looked at the man with a rosy face: "No."
It can't be said that I was tortured too hard by some guy in the indoor bath downstairs just before the guests came to visit.
tired.
Moreover, although there were only a few times, Jian Xin discovered one thing. Men like to mess around with a group of girls, but among the group, they also like to pick one to bully.
Today she is the unlucky one.
Roberta and Annelise also stood up from the window and walked over. Annelise sat next to Tao Yuelei. Roberta saw that Jian Xin had occupied one side of the sofa, so she squatted down and sat down at the man's feet, raising her petite Face: "Simon, do we have any activities tonight?"
"Of course, as long as you're not afraid of the cold."
Jian Xin switched from Chinese to English and said, "I'm afraid of the cold, so I won't go to those parties."
"Then you stay at home," Simon said, sliding his big hand down Roberta's petite face, and said at the same time: "I will not help you fight for that role in "Terminator 3". And there is no such thing in Hollywood. It’s so easy to get along as you imagine, so you should concentrate on developing in the fashion industry in the future. If you are worried about the future, then make some investments now and I can give you some advice.”
When Roberta heard this, there was some resentment on her face, but she had no intention of persisting at all, and she nodded obediently.
Mainly because this period of time has been so good.
Not only did they move into a luxurious duplex apartment in Greenwich with Anneliese, and were surrounded by female maids and guards, the man also gave them a bunch of gifts, and they didn't even need to worry about many of the expenses in life.
After last week's Victoria's Secret show, they wanted to go out for fun. The man sent a private jet to the four of them, and they also had credit cards to swipe at will. Starting from New York, they traveled to Hawaii, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, London... all around the world. After going around in a circle, even if I didn't think about going too far, hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent in one circle, not to mention expenses such as private jets.
How can such an extremely generous life state give rise to any thoughts of struggle
I finally understood why there were so many women around him, and none of them wanted to leave. Only a fool would want to leave a life that is more dreamy than a princess
As for the future.
Um.
Let’s talk about future matters in the future.