Chapter 948 Yuan Qinghua
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Simon and Sofia did not leave the master bedroom of the mountainside villa on Lake Como until dusk fell.
After dinner, after Sofia dressed up, the two rushed to the city of Milan together, planning to participate in a wine auction of Christie's Milan branch.
A few years after the acquisition of Christie's, Sophia has not only managed the old auction house to thrive and its business has continued to expand, but also perfectly matched with Melisandre's business, becoming a brand marketing platform with a locomotive effect. The clothing, jewelry, watches, wine and other companies involved in Melisandre regularly conduct treasure auctions on the Christie's platform.
In the subconscious of most people, the things that can enter the auction house will always be higher in value and style.
As a result, the brand value of Melisandre's subsidiaries has been virtually enhanced.
"I have set up a buyer team for Chinese cultural relics. At present, I mainly collect calligraphy and painting and porcelain. I have to say that there are really many Chinese cultural relics scattered all over Europe, and the price is very low. The recently purchased one Only blue and white porcelain, I remember you mentioned it before, it only cost about 30,000 US dollars, and the seller is an ordinary old man in the United Kingdom. He said that his father brought it back from China."
On the bus to downtown Milan, Sofia and Simon talked about some business matters about Christie's.
Large-scale auction houses are not only auctioning treasures provided by various collectors. In many cases, they may be sold by themselves. Of course, on the surface, they must not have much relationship with the auction house.
Simon mentioned to Sophia by chance that some Chinese cultural relics can be collected in Europe in advance for hoarding. When the Chinese economy develops a little more, more and more rich people will definitely turn to the field of collection in pursuit of connotation, just like buying them in the 1980s. Most of the Western Impressionist paintings of the rich Japanese.
At that time, Christie's can take the opportunity to ship and make a lot of money.
At this time, I heard Sophia said that she had just bought a piece of Yuanqinghua. Even with Simon's current net worth, he was still interested in hearing this kind of porcelain that was fired in memory, and asked curiously, "What is it?"
Sophia said: "A pot about two feet high. I can't tell you the specifics. It is a Chinese dragon totem and a peony flower pattern. Anyway, it is very well preserved. The expert from China said that if it is in China, it belongs to The kind that can enter the National Palace Museum of China, um, is equivalent to the British Museum, and it is very precious anyway."
Two-foot-tall peony cloud dragon yuan blue and white.
National treasure level of the Forbidden City.
Simon compared the possible prices in his memory and couldn't help but stunned: "$30,000, are you sure?"
Sophia smiled and said, "It's at least $2 million now, that's why I mentioned it to you. I'm very good at doing business, right?"
Simon kissed the woman's face in praise, and warned: "In ten years, don't sell it."
Sophia was a little puzzled: "This operation cycle is too long."
Any business is successful only when it obtains the highest profit in the shortest time. If you invest 1 million US dollars, you can earn 30% in one year and 100% in ten years. It seems that the latter is more, but compared to the former, it is complete. fail.
Simon also knows that in the field of cultural relics hype, unless it is a real collection, the operation cycle is as short as two or three years, and as long as four or five years.
The Yuan Qinghua that Sophia just mentioned was stored for four or five years, and it was released around 2000. Compared with the current market valuation, it would be no problem to double it several times, but it was still not the best time.
Simon didn't explain too much about this, just said: "Just listen to me, um, where is that porcelain, let me see?"
"In the vault in Geneva, if you want to see it, I will take the time to send it to North America."
"Forget it, let's see it next time I go to Switzerland."
Think of a Yuanqinghua that is worth hundreds of millions in the future, if there is a mistake in the transportation process, even Simon now will inevitably feel pain.
"OK."
Of course, Sophia would not object, so that men can come more often, so she made up her mind to buy more Chinese cultural relics that men may be interested in.
The two continued to chat. After the car entered the urban area of Milan, Sofia's cell phone suddenly rang. He took out the answer from his bag, chatted a few words with the other side, and said to Simon after hanging up: "Fiat's Gianni Agnelli and his wife will come over later, and they want to chat with you at the subsequent party."
Gianni Agnelli, head of the Fiat Group.
Simon can probably understand what the other party wants to talk about after thinking about it.
Sophia also said: "It should be the Fiat Group that is planning to enter China. It is estimated that they may pay attention and want to hear some news from you."
The fallout from Simon's last visit to China continues.
Although they rejected the plan proposed by the Apollo management team to invest in Geely Automobile, other overseas car companies that were hesitant have accelerated their layout. For example, General Motors Group started negotiations with SAIC last year. After China's visit, the negotiation progress between the two sides has accelerated abruptly. It is expected that a formal cooperation agreement will be signed in the near future, which is a full year earlier than the time in memory.
As for the Fiat Group.
Thinking about some of the information in his memory, Simon couldn't help shaking his head. Two consecutive attempts to enter China ended in failure. This can only be Fiat's own problem.
However, because of the deep layout in Italy, the Westeros system and the Agnelli family, which can be called the "Italian royal family", also have
With a lot of cooperation, the other party came over here on purpose, of course, to give face, so he said casually: "Then let's talk."
Sophia noticed Simon's expression and asked, "You don't want to have contact with them?"
"No, just not optimistic about Fiat's entry into China."
"Why?"
Simon said: "Besides Italy, is there any overseas market that Fiat has more success in your impression?"
Sophia thought about it, but she really didn't find it.
The Fiat Group is a local snake in Italian standards. Through the overt or covert protection of the Italian government for half a century, it occupies 90% of the country's auto market. However, overseas, except for some luxury car brands under the Fiat Group Get out of business.
Moreover, even the luxury car brands under the Fiat Group such as Ferrari, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo have not been operating very well in recent years. Because of losses, brands such as Maserati have been repeatedly sold and merged.
In the final analysis, the Fiat group is too comfortable to be a local snake in Italy and has lost its enterprising spirit.
Of course, given the current state of the seller's market in China's auto industry, if Fiat operates seriously, it can actually occupy a very important place in the Chinese auto market.
However, combined with the information in memory, Fiat obviously lacks this kind of thinking, but strictly controls technology research and development and automobile production, and is always on guard against partners stealing its own technology, only knowing what to ask for and not wanting to pay more. .
All in all, arrogance.
What did that sentence say.
Weakness and ignorance are not obstacles to survival, arrogance is!
As a result, Fiat Group made two consecutive attempts in 2000 and 2010, both of which were good times for the development of China's auto industry, but both ended in dismal results.
Arriving at the Christie's headquarters in the center of Milan, the auction will take more than ten minutes to start. Simon and Sofia are temporarily waiting in a VIP lounge. Gianni Agnelli and his wife Marilla Agnelli also arrived ahead of schedule. , just held together.
Gianni Agnelli is 75 years old this year. Since he became the chairman of the Fiat Group in 1966, he has just controlled the largest industrial group in Italy for 30 years. The other party also has a younger brother, Umberto Agnelli, 62 years old this year , is the CEO of Fiat Group.
In the original time and space, after the death of Gianni Agnelli, the power of the Fiat group fell into the hands of Umberto.
Because Gianni Agnelli's only son committed suicide in 2000.
About this young man, there is also an insinuation in Simon's favorite Italian movie "City of Beauty".
In fact, just like the Agnelli family, the Gucci family, and even the Versace family, etc., the behind-the-scenes stories of these old-fashioned family businesses in Italy, if dug up, are definitely enough for Hollywood to shoot for 30 years, and there are many wonderful things.
Gianni Agnelli came to meet Simon on purpose, as expected to enter the Chinese market. The Italian business tycoon has also begun to pay attention to China recently, but because of certain inherent concepts of Westerners, even with Simon's exemplary role , the other party still has various hesitations about investing in China.
Simon also frankly said: "Jenny, the current cooperation model of China's auto industry is usually between Western auto companies providing necessary technology and core components, and China providing them, so if you plan to invest in China, you only pay for technology, components and parts. The import of the car can also bring you extra income. And, in terms of technology, you don't even need the latest, just like the best-selling Santana sedan that German Volkswagen cooperated with China, in fact, the latest model in the Chinese market is only Two generations of technology behind Europe.”
Gianni Versace leaned on the sofa in the lounge, holding a cigar in his hand, probably because the young man opposite didn't mean to smoke or light it, and shook his head slightly: "Simon, that's what I'm worried about, don't you realize that? , is China's goal is our technology? When the Chinese have mastered the technology, do you think they will leave us behind?"
This is probably the general state of cooperation between many overseas companies and China.
Simon just shrugged slightly: "Or, Gianni, you can think the same way, if Fiat Group doesn't cooperate with China, then when the auto industry in this country develops, the market will only be other first-comers, and you want to enter, It must be very difficult. As far as I know, GM is about to reach another agreement with China, other car giants are also testing, leaving Fiat little time.”
"But, Simon, why did you reject that offer to invest in the Chinese auto industry?"
Simon was stunned for a moment, and then he reacted.
Still the lucky plan.
For Agnelli to know about this, Simon did not arrive at any surprise.
Just as Simon didn't immediately know why Agnelli arrived in Italy in the morning, this is the bottom line. After all, when Simon enters a country, he must report it at the customs, and he has no intention of hiding it. This is also the reason why Yeltsin's daughter could easily come to the door a few days ago.
With the current power of the Westeros system, if Simon wants to hide it deliberately, no one will find it.
However, this trip to Europe, not only in Ukraine, but also in other regions, actually means patrolling the territory. Of course, everyone who should know must know that Simon Westeros has appeared.
Thinking this way, Simon said: "This is different, Janney, because the Westeros system does not involve in the auto industry, and, at this stage, China's auto industry is monopolized by state-owned enterprises, and the cooperation agreement is aimed at a
This is a private company, if I do this, it is likely to arouse the disgust of some Chinese state-owned enterprises, and Chinese state-owned enterprises are closely related to Chinese senior management, so the gains outweigh the losses. "
Simon explained this, and Gianni Agnelli immediately understood.
Ground snake.
Because Fiat Group's status in Italy is like this, other overseas car companies want to enter Italy, either to cooperate with Fiat Group, or they will inevitably be strongly suppressed.
Putting the unlit cigar in his mouth and taking a sip, after a little consideration, Gianni Agnelli said: "Simon, or, what kind of cooperation do we have?"
"Um?"
"We will cooperate and enter the Chinese market together. You must know that I have a lot of concerns about that side. If you get involved here, I can feel more at ease. After all, you already have a good network of contacts in China."
Simon said: "But, in this case, Jenny, we can only get 50% of the shares at most, 25% each, are you satisfied?"
Gianni Agnelli laughed: "Of course, as long as the project succeeds."
"I think it's okay," Simon refused with a smile, and added: "Jenny, if you plan to enter the Chinese market, I'll give you some advice, don't be too cautious, and don't be too harsh, the potential of the Chinese auto market, In my opinion, in the next ten years, it may be comparable to North America, reaching the level of tens of millions. Don't doubt this. You can check the growth data of some other industries in China. The potential of this country is very large. Only Fiat is now willing to bet Pay attention, China will inevitably become Fiat's largest overseas market in the future."
Gianni Agnelli's eyes flashed a ray of light, but he quickly said, "Then why can't you participate together?"
Simon and Agnelli looked at each other and said, "If you are willing to give me the control of the cooperative project, I am willing to invest, Jenny, are you willing?"
Gianni Agnelli shook his head subconsciously.
Simon said: "So, we can't talk about it together. Frankly, I will enter the Chinese auto market, but not now, because the Westeros system has no roots in the auto industry, and in a few years, I will definitely be involved. of."
"According to you, I might have to wait a few years, for example, for China to join the WTO."
"Of course, this is a good time." Simon nodded and said: "However, in this case, I can only regret it for you, because under the conditions of the Fiat Group, you don't need to wait, you have missed a very precious advance layout. opportunity."
The staff came to remind you to enter at this time.
The two also stopped talking at the right time.
It can be seen that Gianni Agnelli is still hesitant, Simon has already said what he should say, how the other party chooses is not what he needs to care about.
Speaking of which, if it weren't for the failed cases of Fiat's two forays into China in memory, and if it weren't for the hesitancy of Gianni Agnelli in front of him, Simon really wouldn't mind cooperating with each other, even if it was a pure investment without control. Now, Simon has no interest at all.
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