Chapter 79 United Finance (3,400 Monthly Tickets Plus Additional Chapters)

"United Group poached Francisco, the president of Southern Bank, and then reached acquisition agreements with various banks, preparing to buy 75% of the shares of these banks for US$25 million..." Little Agnie said in an incredible tone, "This is an outrageously low price...Father, why don't we get involved?"

"Don't go!" Old Agnelli shook his head. "These banks may be worth far more than 25 million US dollars, but the risks and potential challenges after the acquisition outweigh the possible benefits."

"This?" Little Agnelli felt a little confused: United Group only offered 25 million US dollars, and Fiat would add a little more, such as 27 million US dollars. Wouldn't it be better? At least it can raise prices with United Group. Finance is also Fiat's shortcoming.

"Are you thinking this: Even if we can't buy it in the end, it would be good to raise the price with the United Group and let the other party spend more blood, right? Morally, it can be regarded as helping these old people who have helped us. Friend’s favor?”

"Is there anything wrong with this?"

"These assets can only be kept safe and sound if the United Group eats them, and the depositors who have been run out of money and the customers who have been dispersed can return. Otherwise, the United Group will never give up. Do you think that little Ciano is stuffing so much money into the government?" What do you think the United Group does by maintaining a micro-military force?" Old Agnelli pointed to his son with some disappointment, "You can't be fooled by the small gains in front of you. Since these banks are so cheap, other big companies can't do it. Why don’t banks take over?”

"Yeah..." Little Agnelli felt strange, why didn't other banks acquire it?

"Because the United Group must have evidence and handles on their illegal operations. If the United Group refuses and let other banks take the blame, think about what will happen next?" Old Agnelli sneered, "It must be so. Endless inspections, rectifications and heightened awareness of risk responsibilities by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank.”

"Can little Ciano cover this matter with one hand?"

"It is impossible to cover the sky with one hand, but the United Group has been wronged in this matter. If you were Mussolini, would you help little Ciano settle it?" Old Agnelli knocked on the table and raised his voice. , "Don't forget that little Ciano's unreasonable style will also cause trouble. Aren't you afraid that he will file a lawsuit with you? Aren't you afraid that he will use all kinds of crooked ideas? Hasn't the lesson learned by the Socialist Party been profound enough? Moreover, you don't want to I hope those bankers really care about you sincerely. Once we intervene in the fight, Fiat will directly jump in and become a conflict party with the United Group, and they can take the opportunity to change their roles in the conflict and survive..."

"This..." Little Agnelli really didn't expect this.

"You think, if the United Group wants to take over, we also want to take over. What will be the outcome of everyone's struggle? We will not be happy if we take in little Ciano, and he will not be happy if he takes in us. In order to prevent everyone from being unhappy, someone from above must come down to mediate. In the end, No one can accept it, and then little Ciano will hate us. "

Little Agnelli thought to himself: Why is my father so timid this time? So what if I'm hated? How many times has Fiat been hated?

"It doesn't matter to the United Group whether we take the bank or not. They are now free from the constraints of the domestic banking industry. Little Ciano did this mostly out of venting his anger, but if he targets us..." Old Agnie Li sighed, "Can our workers still be saved?"

"Why?"

Old Agnelli threw over a telegraph newspaper: "General Motors is about to open a joint venture car factory with United Group in Italy, focusing on trucks and buses. Although there is a misalignment with our products, the demand for personnel and workers is Likewise, do you still remember the United Group’s initiative?”

As soon as he mentioned this initiative, Agnelli's face darkened. He certainly knew what the United Group's initiative was: requiring all large Italian companies to take the lead in implementing an 8-hour work day and six-day work week system. United Group's first One did this.

In Agnelli's view, this is purely the United Group's meddling. How many hours do our workers have to work for you to worry about? But it was impossible to oppose it openly, because this system was recognized by Mussolini and was solemnly written into his policy platform after he was elected prime minister as his commitment to the working class.

More importantly, United Group operates according to this rule. Any work that exceeds the above-mentioned hours is considered overtime. Now, obviously, the base salary offered by United Group is the same as that of other large companies. However, due to the calculation of work hours, has been shortened (the working hours themselves have not been shortened, but they are working overtime due to the speed requirements of the United Group), the salary of the same position and level in the United Group is generally 30% higher than that of the outside world, coupled with the rapid expansion of the United Group, the upward path is extremely smooth and the new village for workers The construction of the company has attracted a large number of talent flows. Companies like Fiat are completely hard-hit areas, with a large number of key personnel changing jobs every month.

This happened under a situation where the United Group was relatively restrained and controlled. If it were opened up to the United Group for poaching, I don’t know how many people would have to leave.

Protests are useless. You can raise your salary if you can, but the problem is that United Group does not pay attention to profits. How can Fiat not pay attention to profits? Not to mention losses, a drop in profits will cause an uproar in the board of directors and the capital market. As for the United Group's losses, everyone is accustomed to it.

"So, we are going to lose another group of backbones?"

"That's for sure. The key is how much less. According to Ciano's character, he would have continued to introduce a batch of workers from Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. What if he changes his mind to poaching from Fiat to disgust us at this juncture? Will you also follow his example and increase your salary by 30%? Even if you can increase it, can you give him a position?"

"Uh..." Agnelli was speechless. Several managers and workshop directors who jumped from Fiat last year worked at United Group for only one year. Once their abilities were proven, they have now become deputy general managers or similar positions in new project industries, and their salaries have more than doubled. This temptation has even attracted several senior executives of subsidiaries. They can quickly become independent lords after jumping over. Now United Group has 39 independent subsidiaries and 12 business sectors, all of which are flatly managed. The heads of the sectors report to the president. There are not so many complicated relationships, so it is easier to stand out.

Antonio is the executive president and consultant. Although Leo is the assistant president, he is mainly responsible for finance and internal supervision. He is more like Contini's financial secretary and consultant. He does not specifically intervene in the business. This time, the establishment of United Finance is the first time to directly involve in external business.

In such a large company, except for the heads of each sector, there is actually no vice president in charge of the sector. All the middle-level leaders can directly contact the president. That's why Contini needs a team of more than 30 secretaries to help him handle all kinds of information, so Ada complained that he was so busy during his stay in the United States.

He is not as cool as the chairman or general manager of those big companies. The only one he can fully trust and use is Antonio. It is impossible to transfer a lot of work to his deputy or assistant, but this unique management system has also made the middle-level of the United Group extremely active and efficient. Everyone knows that working here is not constrained by the board of directors and there is no annoying bureaucratic system. As long as the president or executive president can nod, things can basically be done.

In addition, the president is generous with his money and pays more attention to whether things can be done rather than calculating the input-output ratio. He feels very happy when doing things. Everyone knows that the president cannot stay in this position forever. What awaits him in the future must be a minister or even a prime minister. If he performs well now, is he afraid that the president will not promote him after his position rises in the future? This makes the middle-level managers, especially the young middle-level managers, very motivated to do a great job, far exceeding the general Italian companies.

This unique cultural atmosphere and employment mechanism are unique, and the international atmosphere is also very strong, which attracts many knowledgeable people. Old Agnelli saw this problem very clearly. Although the United Group does not have the stability and maturity of Fiat, the former's vitality and initiative are also what Fiat does not have. In this regard, his son seems to be far behind the young Ciano. 8)