Chapter 78 United Finance (2)

Leo was stunned at first, and then suddenly realized that credit could still be played like this? What an eye-opener! He finally understood the huge gap between textbooks and practice, and he urgently needed to improve his comprehensive abilities in all aspects in front of these aging bankers.

Of course, he also knows that these are just side kicks, and there is no way to avoid it if you really want to investigate. However, the president has something to say: "There is someone above me!"

It is much easier to do things in Italy as long as there are people. Besides, breaking the credit restrictions is not for speculation, but for the development of Italian industry. They say that the United Group is a national policy group, so how could it not be given special care.

After chatting all afternoon, Francisco, who had settled his daughter's matter, talked about a lot of his ideas, which were generally consistent with Contini's ideas. However, he was more experienced, sophisticated, and secretive in handling underground finances for the Pope. How can a banker in China not have two brushes in his hands?

Francisco said that he would come forward to negotiate terms and benefits with each acquisition target to ensure that employees and key management were stabilized: After all, United Bank needs to employ people and operate normally after its establishment. What can it do without a stable staff team that is familiar with the business? OK? Of course, for the convenience of management, the employees and management teams of these banks will be disrupted and rearranged, and try not to let one system person control a branch. Isn't that just changing the soup without changing the medicine? In addition, he drew Leo's attention to the fact that these banks have more or less irregularities. After getting involved, he should not make any noise. Anyone who dares to disobey will be punished for these irregularities. With the United Group's relationship in the government and the judiciary, , ensuring that the other party remains behind bars.

Contini admired his seriousness in getting into his work role so quickly. To be honest, he was many times better than Mussolini who was careless later!

After sending Francisco away, Antonio hesitated for a long time and finally spoke: "Master, your motivation for giving Vivian shares today is good, and it reflects your consistent responsible attitude. Since the matter has happened, this is the best way to deal with it. The best, but is it inappropriate to give 10% of the shares all at once? Or is it too much? Vivian gave 10%, Adriana, you must give it, and there may be others in the future. Once you really marry the leader's daughter, can't you make sense without giving 25%? If this continues, the shares you directly control will be too small. In the future..."

Contini smiled: "Uncle Antonio, you are overthinking it. This matter is actually very simple. Do you still remember a special rule in the United Group's charter?"

"Let me think...oh...which one?"

"Shareholders who control the company can increase capital independently without the consent of minority shareholders, but other shareholders are allowed to increase capital under the same conditions." Contini smiled, "Don't say 10%, just 20%, 30%, in a few days As I continue to increase my capital in a huge amount, their equity will be diluted... Now giving Vivian 10% of the shares, deducting the US$6 million she handed over, is actually equivalent to giving him a lump sum of US$15 million and reservations. The right to increase capital, but how much money can she spend to increase capital in the future? If she cannot increase capital, her shares will continue to be diluted.”

Antonio suddenly understood.

"Even if she can come up with money, it would make no sense to increase capital in United Group, because United Group itself is a loss-making company, and its assets are increased by investment accumulation. As long as she does not increase capital, the shares will decrease day by day, and things that can really increase in value The U.S. stocks are completely in my hands and are not part of the United Group." Contini smiled, "Of course I will not let her shares be diluted too much. Every year I will allocate a sum of money from my hand to increase her capital. , On the one hand, the water flows smoothly, and on the other hand, I have full initiative, and I can still control the entire situation! Not to mention Vivian, even adding Adriana will not lead to uncontrollable consequences. "

This sentence is absolutely correct. The United Group lost more than 200 million lire in 1923. Before the end of 1924, the loss had exceeded 300 million. As more projects were started and equipment and funds were invested heavily, the losses in 1925 I'm afraid it's between 400-500 million. Of course, the huge losses in the next two years were purely on paper. The assets purchased by the United Group at this time had begun to appreciate in value. Among other things, the land and housing around a few express lines had greatly appreciated in value. As the population and employees increase, the prices of the industries in the workers' new villages will also rise significantly, but the accounts are still calculated based on cost prices.

Contini smiled, "In other words, without this faucet, the bouquet of flowers of United Group will soon wither, and how much money do I have in the stock market?"

Antonio quickly calculated and said in silence: "More than 200 million U.S. dollars? The same as the current total assets of United Group!"

"So, you should never worry about me losing control!" Contini laughed, "Vivian and Adriana's family background is still very important. I am not someone who dares to pull any woman into bed casually. First, there must be fate, second, there must be strength, and third, there must be feelings, otherwise it will only go wrong. You see, Monica is also very beautiful, and she is also my personal secretary. In terms of work ability and social skills, she is better than Vivian. We have a lot of time together. In a general company, her position is almost equivalent to being labeled as the president's lover. But why don't I eat her? It's because she has a mind A little heavy, it's normal for a normal and ambitious professional woman, but in my case, if the work relationship is combined with the relationship between men and women, things will go wrong and the company rules will be broken. If she is in IBC, she will definitely intervene in this and that in two days, but have you ever seen Vivian or Adriana and Goebbels have a conflict? No! So Monica is just my assistant at work, I will not sleep with her, let alone develop into a lover. "

Antonio nodded, the young master still saw Monica very accurately: during her time in the United States, Monica flattered and fawned on Ada, who was several years younger than her. Was she trying to curry favor with the leader? Of course not, this was to curry favor with Contini, and Adriana and Vivian never did that.

"There is another consideration for this arrangement..." Contini pondered, "My current status and the strength of the United Group are based on a kind of political influence. I personally think that this influence can last for many years, but history and politics often change suddenly. I dare not guarantee that this political influence will last for a long time. To put it bluntly, once the leader or I encounter an accident, the overall risk is very high, and there is a possibility of overall collapse. This is the biggest gap between us and old consortiums such as Fiat and Ansaldo. I have become rich, but I have no foundation. I must make arrangements in advance: Vivian is pregnant with my child after all. I don’t know if I will have the opportunity to have a second child, but the first one will be seen soon. I must arrange for them. If I want revenge in the future, I have to implement it here. I have a child, so I can't let her down. She may not value shares or money, but for a child, these are the basic elements of success in the future, and he can avoid many detours. If Adriana has my child in a while, I will follow the same idea and I will not favor one over the other.

So, I plan to go to Switzerland in a few days to set up a secret trust fund, leaving some American stocks and other industries to them. It can be used immediately when I encounter an accident or the child grows up to 18 years old, and Vivian will be the guardian. Uncle Antonio, you will also have a share of this trust fund! This is a retreat for our family, but we can't let my father and others know about it for now. "

Hearing Contini's serious words, Antonio nodded: Indeed, judging from the current situation, talent is the first priority, and money is just a number.

A few days later, Francesco called and told Contini that the acquisition of various banks had been discussed. The total price was 25 million US dollars to acquire 75% of the shares of 14 small and medium-sized banks. This was of course a very cheap amount. If it weren't for this round of shocks and the high pressure from the central bank, it would not be enough to double it. After the acquisition, the United Group will change its name, keep the main management and employees unchanged, and the treatment will remain unchanged. It will inherit all the creditor's rights and debts and restore the original business relationship. Of course, there will be some rectification and sorting work after the acquisition, and the various business premises will also be decorated and uniformly listed. He believes that it will be operational and face the public with a new image in the New Year of 1925. Since it is an acquisition of an old bank, there is no application problem on the side of the central bank and the Ministry of Finance. The filing is just a formality. What can Contini not settle? "Very good, you can start looking for your team members. We need to introduce new talents to serve the company. I have no prejudice against hiring people. Italians, Germans, Jews are all fine."

However, personal issues are not so simple. Francesco told Contini: Vivian refused to accept the marriage plan, even though she knew it was a fake marriage to fool the public. She kept saying one sentence: "Except for Calais, whether it is true or not, I will never wear a wedding dress for another man in my life!"

"So?" Contini frowned tightly, feeling half sad and half distressed.

Francesco replied hesitantly: "The only way is to let her stay abroad for a while and come back after the baby is born. Then we can only say that the child is adopted..."

"Go to Switzerland, I will arrange it! Tell Vivian that I love her forever. When the child is born and returns to China, I will be the child's godfather..." Contini said in a very apologetic tone, "I will be sorry for her in this life... I hope she can forgive me in the future."

"I will..." Vivian, who had been listening beside him, burst into tears, "I love you too, Calais!"