Chapter 472 A Mass Defection of Over Seven Hundred People!
"Since that's the case, I won't take up more of your time. I came to see you mainly to ask you to prepare for relocating the company offices to Connaught Centre over the next few days. For the specific arrangements, you can coordinate with Mr. Ma Shimin—I've already discussed it with him. The company will have two full floors of office space at Connaught Centre," Lin Haoran stated straightforwardly.
"Two floors? That's fantastic!" Dai Shi's eyes flashed with excitement.
Having offices at Connaught Centre would certainly attract more clients.
For Huanyu Investment Company, this move was all gain with no downside.
"Good, then go ahead and get busy. The team still needs you at the helm, and with the stock market being so favorable right now, we can't miss this opportunity," Lin Haoran said with a smile.
"Understood, Boss. I'll head out now," Dai Shi said respectfully before exiting the office.
Watching Dai Shi's departing figure, Lin Haoran slowly stood up and wandered into his private reception room, thoughtfully surveying his surroundings.
This place had been specially renovated after he acquired Federal Building last February.
Now, not even a year later, he was preparing to move again.
The rapid pace of change reflected the explosive growth of his career.
Every relocation marked a milestone in his journey—capturing the continuous evolution and achievements along the way.
But Lin Haoran believed that even Connaught Centre's private reception room wouldn't be his final destination.
Recently, he had acquired five prime plots from the government for just HKD 3 billion, one of which was adjacent to Connaught Centre.
He planned to build a new skyscraper there—Hong Kong's tallest building.
When that tower rose, he would move his headquarters there, continuing the story of his expanding empire.
Standing before the large floor-to-ceiling window, Lin Haoran gazed out at the bustling city, already envisioning the day when his new skyscraper would dominate the Hong Kong skyline.
His heart swelled with anticipation for the future.
Yet, he didn't linger long.
Soon he left the office and returned home.
Two more days flew by, and it was now the evening of January 9th.
Lin Haoran had just finished dinner at home when Guo Xiaohan visited again.
He didn't mind—an extra pair of chopsticks was no trouble.
"Haoran-ge, next Monday I have to go on a business trip to Nanyang with my uncle.
We'll be handling some family business affairs, and it could take half a month, maybe a full month," Guo Xiaohan said, sitting on the sofa outside the main hall, looking at Lin Haoran with reluctant eyes.
Only then did Lin Haoran realize why she had been visiting more frequently—she was about to return to Nanyang.
He knew well that the Guo family's roots were deep in Malaysia.
Though Guo Heni now placed more emphasis on Hong Kong, the family's core business still lay in Southeast Asia.
Thus, it was natural for Guo Xiaohan to assist her uncle there.
"Good. Learn well from your uncle.
He's a very wise businessman.
Absorbing his knowledge will greatly benefit your future," Lin Haoran encouraged with a smile.
"I think so too," Guo Xiaohan said, her eyes shining with determination.
"I want to gain more experience so that when I marry you, I can help you more."
Lin Haoran couldn't help but smile wryly.
They had agreed to discuss marriage in two years, yet Guo Xiaohan often brought it up again, as if to remind him constantly.
He didn't pursue the topic, instead chatting with her about other matters.
Time flew, and by 8 PM, Lin Haoran glanced at his watch and said,
"It's getting late. You should head back and get some rest."
Had it been Guan Jiahui here instead, they might already be in bed together.
But Guo Xiaohan's situation was different—he chose to be cautious.
"Alright, I'll head back now," Guo Xiaohan said, a little reluctant but obedient.
Before leaving, she gave Lin Haoran a tender kiss—a gesture he was now accustomed to.
To ensure her safety, Lin Haoran arranged for Li Weidong to follow her car home.
Afterward, he returned to the third floor.
He was about to take a shower when the phone in his study rang suddenly.
Setting down his pajamas, Lin Haoran went into the study to answer.
"Boss, it's Ma Shimin. I have important news!" came Ma Shimin's excited voice.
"Oh? Let's hear it," Lin Haoran said directly.
"It's about Jardines Securities.
Three days ago, under your instructions, I quietly spread news of Jardines Matheson's plan to sell Jardines Securities.
The news caused a huge stir, as you're aware.
Over the past three days, Jardines Securities' stock price has been plummeting.
Initially, Jardines Matheson tried to deny and cover up the rumors.
But reporters interviewed several industry leaders who confirmed that Simon Keswick had personally approached them about selling Jardines Securities.
Faced with this evidence, Jardines Matheson could no longer conceal the truth.
Internally, unrest grew.
Employees were filled with anxiety about the future.
Taking advantage of the situation, Deputy General Manager Allen, whom I recruited, successfully persuaded his own team—and then many others.
Tonight, the final batch of over a hundred employees signed contracts with us.
In total, more than seven hundred core employees of Jardines Securities have now joined us—roughly four-fifths of their elite team!" Ma Shimin reported excitedly.
Seven hundred people?
Even Lin Haoran was amazed—and delighted.
A mass defection of over seven hundred—surely unprecedented in Hong Kong's history!
While Jardines Securities had thousands of employees, only around a thousand could be considered true core personnel.
These elite teams covered a wide range of fields:
brokerage, financial consulting, privatizations, underwriting, proprietary trading, asset management, insurance, and diversified investment operations.
Poaching these teams meant Huanyu Investment instantly gained full operational capabilities across almost all financial sectors (except for banking).
"Excellent work!" Lin Haoran praised.
"Actually, Allen was even more ambitious.
He initially planned to bring over the entire Jardines Securities team.
But given the scale, he started cautiously—only targeting trusted people at first.
Today he moved aggressively, and naturally, some employees leaked the information to Jardines Securities management.
So now the whole affair is exposed.
Allen can't return to Jardine House anymore," Ma Shimin said.
"Convincing over seven hundred people is already beyond expectations.
It shows how much influence Allen really has.
Later, we can put him in a management role.
But ensure that his new contract has steep penalties—otherwise he might just poach our team next time," Lin Haoran laughed.
"Boss, don't worry!
We've thought it through.
All transferred employees now have penalty clauses ten times harsher than before.
They won't be able to jump ship again easily," Ma Shimin assured, brimming with confidence.
Since Lin Haoran planned to transfer Huanyu Investment under Jardines Property Group, Ma Shimin had been especially motivated.
"Good.
What's next?" Lin Haoran asked.
"Tomorrow is the weekend.
It's the perfect time for Huanyu Investment to move into Connaught Centre.
I've already coordinated with Allen and Mr. Dai," Ma Shimin said.
After Lin Haoran mentioned the move to Dai Shi a few days ago, Dai had eagerly worked on the transition.
Given workday constraints, moving over the weekend was ideal.
"Very well. Handle it carefully," Lin Haoran nodded.
"By the way, this afternoon the media caught wind of the mass defection.
Several outlets asked for interviews, but I declined.
It's not a story that casts us in a glamorous light," Ma Shimin added.
Being a former Jardines Matheson executive, he understood the delicacy of the situation.
Still, he had no regrets.
Lin Haoran laughed heartily.
"I understand.
But Mr. Ma, remember this:
They struck first, not us.
Since they wronged us first, we need not feel guilty for retaliating!"
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