The birth of the Hong Kong Island family

"Boss, the leasing rate of Yingzhi Building has reached 97.5%, 25% of which are foreign tenants, and the total rent in the first year is HK$2.72 million." Huang Changhonghui reported.

Lin Zhichao is not surprised by this result. According to statistics from relevant Hong Kong government departments: this year, the number of registered local companies in Hong Kong was 3,920, and the number of foreign companies was 395, including 102 American companies and 72 British companies.

With so many foreign companies coming, they must set up offices in Central, Hong Kong. This is their first choice. In this way, there is no need to worry about office rentals in Central, Hong Kong.

"The rent is good, and it will pay back in about six years!" Lin Zhichao commented.

This piece of land covers an area of ​​14,000 square feet. The original purchase price was less than HK$4 million, and the construction cost was 8 million. The total investment was 12 million. The rental of this kind of office building can generate almost 80% of the net profit, which means that it can be earned every year Net profit of about 2.1 million.

According to the current land price, the total investment should be 18 million, which means it will take more than eight years to recover the capital.

Of course, rents will rise. In the next few years, rents for Grade A office buildings in Central, Hong Kong are expected to rise to more than HK$1.50, while currently they are only HK$1.1 per square foot per month.

Huang Changhong continued: "The move-in of the Yingzhi Building office building is scheduled for December, while the shopping mall is scheduled to move in until New Year's Day."

It is slightly ahead of schedule. The entire construction period is 20 months, which is not very fast. After all, it is only 22 floors high and each floor has only 8,200 to 10,000 square feet.

In the previous life, the 52-storey Connaught Building in Yihe took only 18 months from the start of construction to the roofing out.

"Okay, that's it! After selling the Crocodile T-shirt Building to Uniqlo, Yangtze River Industrial added new 'rent-collecting properties' in a timely manner. This configuration is healthier."

Huang Changhong didn't take up the topic. They were all the boss's assets anyway. To adjust, he, the deputy general manager, didn't feel it.

After Huang Changhong left, Lin Zhichao began to think.

Cheung Kong Holdings, Cheung Kong Properties, Shangri-La Hotels Group, Uniqlo Enterprises, Miramar Hotels, these will all be companies under the "Cheung Kong Holdings" in the future.

Among them, the Yangtze River Industrial Group had at least 10 to 15 properties (under construction or not yet built) in 1972. Other assets included Poly Construction, stone mining companies, doll noodles, and some rent-collecting properties, such as doll noodles. industrial buildings, commercial and residential buildings (commercial part) in Causeway Bay, department stores, and scattered rent-collecting properties. In this way, the assets of the Yangtze River Industrial Group will be quite large, and the capital raised may be 500 million (25% public shares). Of course, the listed assets will be reduced based on the actual situation at that time.

Among them, in the case of Changjiang Real Estate, it is office buildings, reserve land and other assets that are not listed on the market; it will have to change its name by then and serve as the family's rent-collecting real estate company.

Among them, Shangri-La Hotel Group will be developed as a hotel group of the Lin family, and investment in the first Shangri-La Hotel will begin in the mid-1960s.

Among them, UNIQLO will also go public in 1972 to raise funds to develop the clothing industry and a small amount of real estate industry. The real estate industry mainly plays a role in sharing risks.

Among them, Miramar Hotel Group was listed in 1972 to raise funds to develop real estate and hotel-related developments. In the 1980s, it was privatized by Cheung Kong Holdings and Cheung Kong Holdings; therefore, it is actually an asset of Cheung Kong Holdings. Just go out and make some money temporarily.

After some planning, the assets under Changjiang Holdings were finally straightened out. The final result is:

Cheung Kong Holdings is a leading listed company;

Changjiang Real Estate is a family-owned rent-collecting company that mainly invests in office buildings, shops, and high-end residences;

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, a hotel group owned by the Lin family, may consider listing in the future;

Uniqlo is a comprehensive clothing listed company.

The above four, plus the undeveloped ‘Media Group’, are equivalent to five companies under the umbrella of ‘Changjiang Holdings’.

The ‘Changhong Industrial Building (Kwun Tong)’ under Cheung Kong Industries opened. Since another industrial building has been transferred to Uniqlo, this building is the first industrial building of Cheung Kong Industries and serves as a ‘beverage and food production base’.

Changhong Industrial Building is also 12 stories high, with a floor area of ​​16,000 square feet per floor, totaling 192,000 square feet. Among them, ‘Changhong Beverage and Food Company’ has reserved three floors.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Lin Zhichao and Tang Caiyun inspected the 'Doll Noodles' production workshop, which only has part of the production capacity; there is still part of the production capacity in the Yangtze River Industrial Park, which will be gradually moved there in the future.

Baby noodles are very popular in Hong Kong and have no competitors. There are 2.5 million people in Hong Kong, and each person consumes about 3 bags a year on average, and the price is only 40 cents.

In order to consider the consumption level of Hong Kong, the price was set at 4 cents. This price is the current price in the Japanese instant noodles market. Before, Nissin Ramen was about 5.6 cents (equivalent to Hong Kong dollars).

The price of 4 cents is acceptable to Hong Kong people as long as they have a job.

"Food safety is very important, Manager Chen, you must manage the production workshop well and impose strict requirements on everyone." Lin Zhichao, wearing a white coat and a certain hat, warned.

Just like Lin Zhichao has always told ships, they must pay special attention to weather changes, and the waterway cannot be changed easily, so as not to leak oil and lose millions of dollars (the insurance company will bear it, but if it exceeds the limit, they will compensate themselves).

Chen Ping said seriously: "Don't worry, boss, we have always adhered to 4S management, food safety management and other systems, and have strict requirements on every worker."

Lin Zhichao nodded. The original Yangtze River Industrial Group had a department that specialized in studying corporate management systems. The 5S management system is currently unrealistic. Even the Japanese only focus on the first two items of ‘5S management’.

Although Doll Noodles is separated from the Yangtze River Industrial Group, the management is trained by the Yangtze River Industrial Group. The management level is very high and the quality is also very good.

"The research and development of tonkotsu noodles will not be completed for a while, and the doll noodles only need to maintain the market development of Hong Kong and Sing Tao. Therefore, I plan to put extra burden on you!" Lin Zhichao said with a smile.

He can be regarded as the pinnacle of "knowing people and employing them". Many general managers and senior executives of subsidiaries were promoted by Lin Zhichao from the company's middle and low-level cadres, and he was promoted personally. In Lin Zhichao's mind, there are probably hundreds of talents' information. These talents have been filtered, and Lin Zhichao will pay attention to them.

Chen Ping immediately said: "Boss, you arrange it, and I will do my job well without affecting the management and sales of doll noodles!"

In his mind, the boss is a very charming person, with strong leadership skills, caring for employees, and very discerning!

Working with such a boss is always full of passion and motivation.

Lin Zhichao nodded and said: "I want to develop a functional drink, which is a drink that can refresh truck drivers and overtime white-collar workers. We will discuss the details later. Therefore, I promote you to be the general manager of 'Changhong Beverage and Food' to prepare a 'functional drink' For the beverage R\u0026D team, remember to have a professional team with talents engaged in pharmaceuticals."

He was talking about Red Bull, but Lin Zhichao only knew that there are four types of caffeine, taurine, vitamins, and inositol, and there are even many kinds of vitamins.

Of course, as long as the team is established, the 'original formula' can be developed in three to five years, and it can be adjusted later when it is sold.

Chen Ping asked: "Refreshing drinks, sparkling or still?"

Lin Zhichao smiled and said: "These are minor and will be changed according to the laws or tastes of each country. The important thing is that we have to spend a long time and energy to create the original recipe. Refreshment is the key. Generally speaking, coffee Vitamins, amino acids (taurine is also an amino acid), etc. should all be able to refresh your mind!”

Chen Ping said: "Okay, I will start to form this R\u0026D team!"

Lin Zhichao said: "Well, don't be afraid of spending money. For every product successfully developed, the profit will be thousands of times the R\u0026D cost."

The implication is that even overseas talents can be hired to Hong Kong if necessary.

"Okay, I understand."

Of course Chen Ping knows that as a former member of the Cheung Kong Industrial Group, many innovative products and technologies were born in Hong Kong, which have impressed the world.

Afterwards, Lin Zhichao and his wife left.

After the establishment of Changhong Food and Beverage Company, it will be included in the Changjiang Industrial Group.

For the product Red Bull, the research and development cycle may be ten years, the promotion cycle may be another ten years, and it may take another ten years to go global, so there is no rush at all.

In late October, Lin Zhichao came to New York.

He now spends more than three months a year abroad, and his main job is to meet with politicians and businessmen from various countries. If you want to be a global businessman, you cannot stay away from politics, and of course you must stay away from mainland politics.

Therefore, Lin Zhichao is acquainted with political figures in many countries. For example, this year, in addition to building six oil tankers and two 12,000-ton 'Carbosch' cargo ships in Japan, he also built a 70,000-ton oil tanker and a 12,000-ton cargo ship in France. A 30,000-ton cargo ship and met with the French President.

Although European ships are more expensive, they are still slightly better than Japanese ships in terms of performance and functionality. More importantly, Lin Zhichao needs to develop personal connections because he also has to do other people's business, so he must reciprocate politely.

After Lin Zhichao arrived in New York, at a gathering with MacLean, the founder of Sea-Land Transport, he said to Lin Zhichao: "Mr. Lin, Onassis is also in New York. You are both engaged in shipping. How about we get to know each other?"

Lin Zhichao agreed, it would be okay to meet him. After all, McClain had already introduced him, so it would be disrespectful not to meet him.

McClain said happily: "Okay, I'll arrange a meeting for you!"

The reason why he likes Lin Zhichao is very simple, that is, Lin Zhichao is as optimistic about container transportation as he is.

The two dined and drank red wine in a high-end hotel and seemed to have become friends.

During this period, Lin Zhichao also said: "Mr. McClain, do you know John F. Kennedy?"

McClain smiled and said: "Lin, are you interested in American politics?"

Lin Zhichao shook his head, but said with a smile: "I am just interested in the future president of the United States!"

McClain was immediately surprised and said, "Why didn't Kennedy announce his candidacy?"

Lin Zhichao said: "This is his strategy. If he announces it now, he will be under a lot of pressure. If Mr. McClain wants to play the 'bet game', you can try it with me. If we win, maybe It can let the world see the potential of container shipping in advance.”

McClain asked: "Even the president can't interfere, right?"

Lin Zhichao drew on the table and explained: "This is Vietnam, maybe a powder keg; here is Hong Kong, which may become a base for the US military. If container shipping is used,"

He didn't say much because the idea was a bit fanciful, and the Americans hadn't sent any special forces into Vietnam yet!

McLean said in surprise: "It is indeed a possible situation. Mr. Lin, you have a really long-term vision. But I am very curious. In the future, container shipping will become a trend. Will you mainly operate oil tankers or container ships?" "

Lin Zhichao smiled and said: "Oil tankers will be the mainstay, container ships will be the auxiliary, and they will also enter the terminal field. Mr. McClain, are you worried that I will become your opponent?"

McClain responded: "No, after all, we are not in the same area!"

Subsequently, the two formed an alliance and planned to find a way to join the support team of 'John F. Kennedy'. As for why McClain also chose John F. Kennedy, who was not obvious at this time, it was completely a bet.

You know, the Democratic Party’s primary election has not yet started. Usually there are several Democratic Party senators competing, probably in the primary election from March to June next year, but the announcement and preparations usually start early next year. , Canvassing votes.

Therefore, John F. Kennedy in this era is just an inconspicuous person. Americans always need financial support to elect the president. Lin Zhichao relies on McClain to participate, and maybe he can also show up.

Of course, Lin Zhichao would definitely not be too involved, and Kennedy wouldn't last more than a few years anyway.