Chapter 960
The future world's richest man is my fan!
At 9:50 a.m., Bernard Arnault's car stopped in front of the Citibank headquarters building.
He took a deep breath, pushed open the door, got out of the car, straightened his suit and tie, and stepped inside.
He has visited this building countless times since he arrived in New York!
Every time he came, he was not in a good mood.
From initially seeking cooperation, to finally establishing a partnership, to later failing to achieve even greater cooperation each time he came, and dealing with the frustrating issues of unsold projects, this building had transformed in his mind from a place of hope into a source of pressure.
In the lobby, Citibank staff were already waiting and greeted him immediately upon his arrival.
"Good morning, Mr. Arnault. Our leader is already waiting in the conference room. Please follow me."
Bernard Arnold nodded and followed the receptionist into the elevator.
The elevator stopped upstairs, and as soon as the doors opened, the receptionist guided him through the corridor to the door of a spacious and bright conference room.
"Please come in, Mr. Reed is inside." The receptionist opened the door and stepped aside to let Bernard in.
In the conference room, sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the entire room brightly.
There was only one person in the group: John Reid, the current vice president and the future head of Citibank.
Now, Chairman Walter Riston has begun to gradually relinquish power and fully cultivate his successor, so many tasks are being handled by John Reid.
Bernard Arnault was also surprised to see that it was John Reed inside.
In the past, he was only received by the head of Citibank's loan department. He never expected that the person he would meet today would be the famous John Reed.
Now, the entire American financial community knows that John Reid will become the next chairman and president of Citigroup, and that time will not be long.
Therefore, Bernard Arnault was both surprised and apprehensive.
He didn't know why Citibank would send such a high-ranking person to see him, which made him vaguely feel that today's events were probably not so simple.
Bernard Arnault is not yet the famous godfather of luxury goods, nor the world's richest man. He is just an obscure real estate company owner in New York, whose scale is not even among the largest in the city.
If it weren't for Citibank giving him a loan, he wouldn't even be qualified to step into the conference room of this building.
He couldn't help but feel uneasy in the presence of someone like John Reed.
After all, the only people John Reed was worthy of a personal audience with were the heads of those giant corporations.
But he can't reach that level, he's far from it!
“Mr. Arnault, please have a seat.” John Reed stood up, smiled, and extended his hand to shake Bernard’s.
Bernard Arnault sat down at the conference table, trying to remain calm, but his heart was racing uncontrollably.
He picked up the water glass in front of him and took a sip to moisten his slightly dry throat.
“Mr. Reed, I wonder what you wanted to talk to me about today?” Bernard Arnault asked tentatively.
John Reed smiled, but instead of answering directly, he picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and said unhurriedly, "Mr. Arnault, don't rush. Actually, the main reason I called you here today to discuss and evaluate the loan plan is not because of the loan. The main reason is that a friend from Hong Kong wants to see you. He will be here soon."
Bernard Arnault was even more surprised upon hearing this.
A friend from Hong Kong, is he really worthy of being personally accompanied by someone of John Reed's stature?
How powerful must this person be?
Several names flashed through his mind. There were many wealthy people in Hong Kong, but those who could be considered equals to John Reed could be counted on one hand.
The only people he knew were Bao Yugang, the famous shipping magnate, and Lin Haoran, a wealthy man who had become very well-known in recent years.
He didn't recognize the other wealthy people. After all, Hong Kong was too far away from him. Even though he knew that the financial and trade industries there were very strong, he, a Frenchman in the real estate business, really had no connection with them.
“Mr. Reed, I wonder who this friend from Hong Kong is…” Bernard asked tentatively.
John Reed smiled, took a sip of his coffee, and said unhurriedly, "Mr. Arnault, don't worry, he'll be here soon."
In fact, John Reed was also sizing up the young man in front of him.
Bernard Arnault is indeed still very young; born in 1949, he is only 33 years old now.
However, Lin Haoran is younger in comparison.
Before Bernard Arnault arrived, John Reed studied his information again.
This young man's experience in France truly makes him a rare business prodigy. He joined his father's civil engineering company at the age of 22, then persuaded his father to disband the construction department and invest in real estate, which led to a significant increase in the company's assets. He became the company's CEO at the age of 28 and the company's president three years ago.
His career has been remarkably smooth sailing, and he is considered a prominent figure in the French real estate industry.
However, according to the data, this real estate tycoon from France did not have a good time after arriving in the United States. He made a mistake that many successful people make: he simply transplanted his successful experience in France to the United States, and as a result, he failed to adapt and suffered a crushing defeat.
However, John Reed also noticed a detail: despite the project's sluggish sales and tight finances, Bernard did not lower prices to sell off the project like most developers.
He's still holding on, still waiting, still searching for other possibilities.
This shows that the person is confident in their judgment, or that they have a tenacious spirit that refuses to admit defeat.
This quality is more important than temporary success or failure in the business world.
However, these alone are not enough to warrant his attention.
After all, there are countless real estate companies like the Arnault family in New York State, and many are larger and more successful than his.
What truly made John Reed willing to make time to meet Bernard was not the Arnault family's businesses in France, but rather Lin Haoran's keen interest in this man.
Anyone who can catch Lin Haoran's eye must be extraordinary.
This is the experience John Reed has summarized over the past few years.
From Hong Kong to the United States, from finance to real estate, every project and every person that Lin Haoran set his sights on ultimately proved to be extremely valuable.
Therefore, despite Bernard's current predicament in New York, John Reed was still willing to give him a chance and personally accompany him.
Even now, he still can't see what it is about this young man that makes Lin Haoran, a world-class business tycoon, so interested in him.
In terms of asset size, the Arnault family's real estate projects in the United States total only tens of millions of US dollars, which is less than a fraction of Lin Haoran's assets.
In terms of personal ability, Bernard Arnault's success in France was certainly remarkable, but his performance in the United States was lackluster.
In terms of connections and resources, what can a Frenchman who is new to the country and can't even get things done with local banks in the United States bring to Lin Haoran?
John Reed couldn't figure it out, but he didn't dwell on the issue for long.
Lin Haoran always acts according to his own logic. Since he was willing to spend time meeting this Frenchman, he must have his reasons.
As an ally, all he needs to do is cooperate.
Just then, there was a knock on the conference room door.
John Reed put down his coffee cup, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Here you are."
He stood up, walked to the door, and opened it himself.
Bernard Arnault also stood up nervously. He was curious about which Hong Kong tycoon it was and whether he knew him.
The door was pushed open, and a young man walked in.
He was tall and slender, wearing a dark gray Armani suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
His face was handsome, his eyes were deep and calm, and he exuded a composure and confidence that was beyond his years.
Bernard Arnault's gaze fell on the young man, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
Lin Haoran.
He was very familiar with the other person's appearance, even though they had never met before.
From last year to this year, the news media have reported extensively on this young man on several occasions, making it difficult for Bernard Arnault not to be familiar with him.
Moreover, he regarded Lin Haoran as his role model in life.
A young man just a few years younger than him started as an ordinary second-generation rich kid in Hong Kong and built a business empire spanning finance, real estate, fast-moving consumer goods, hotels, and other fields in just a few years, amassing personal assets of hundreds of billions of dollars and wielding considerable influence on Wall Street. Such achievements filled Bernard Arnault, who also came from a business family, with both admiration and humility.
“Mr. Lin…” Bernard Arnault’s voice trembled slightly, filled with disbelief.
His hands trembled slightly, and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of his chest.
He never expected that the "friend from Hong Kong" that John Reed mentioned was actually Lin Haoran himself.
Lin Haoran walked into the conference room, his gaze falling on Bernard. He smiled slightly and extended his hand: "Mr. Arnault, I've heard so much about you. Thank you for coming."
Bernard Arnault walked forward almost mechanically and extended his hand.
The moment his hand touched Lin Haoran's, he finally realized that this was not a dream.
Lin Haoran's hand was warm and strong, and the grip was just right, neither impolite nor overly enthusiastic.
Bernard Arnault quickly replied, "Mr. Lin, you are too kind. Compared to you, I am just a nobody. I really didn't expect that it was you who wanted to see me."
His voice was filled with barely concealed excitement: "I had heard about your deeds when I was in France, and after I came to the United States, I often saw news about you. I have always regarded you as a role model. I never thought I would have the honor of meeting you in person, let alone that you would take the initiative to meet me."
Bernard Arnault, at this point, has not yet become a big shot in his own right, and when facing someone like Lin Haoran, he subconsciously lowers his stance.
This is not deliberate flattery, but a heartfelt reverence—reverence for success, reverence for wealth, and reverence for the ability to manipulate events at will.
Only then did he realize that the only Hong Kong friend who could have Citibank's future successor personally accompany him was Lin Haoran.
After all, it's no secret that Lin Haoran is an executive director and shareholder of Citibank.
However, he had never dared to think about it before, after all, what was Lin Haoran's identity? And what was his identity?
He never dreamed that this person would actually be Lin Haoran, the legendary figure he had only seen in newspapers and magazines.
When Lin Haoran heard that the other party regarded him as a role model, he couldn't help but smile. He never expected that the world's richest man and the godfather of luxury goods in his previous life would actually be his fan!
He released his hand and gestured for him to sit down: "Mr. Arnault, you're too kind. Come, sit down and let's talk."
After having a cup of coffee brought to him, John Reed voluntarily left the meeting room, leaving Lin Haoran and Bernard Arnault alone.
Although he was curious about why Lin Haoran wanted to see Bernard Arnault, he knew that there were some occasions where it was inappropriate for him to be present.
Lin Haoran's summoning of Bernard Arnault must be related to business, but what kind of business cooperation that is is someone else's secret.
If the other party is willing, they can tell him on their own initiative, but he cannot ask them on his own initiative.
This is basic business etiquette and a sign of respect for allies.
The meeting room door closed gently, leaving only the two people in the room.
Bernard Arnault sat there with his hands on his knees, his back ramrod straight, like a schoolboy waiting for a teacher's question.
He tried to appear calm, but his slightly trembling fingers and the occasional swallowing betrayed his inner tension.
Lin Haoran picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and looked through the tea in the cup as if he were thinking about something.
His gaze finally settled on Bernard Arnault.
The owner of the now-famous French luxury goods tycoon Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton was a legendary figure in later generations.
The family, who have repeatedly topped the list of the world's richest people, control the LVMH Group, which owns dozens of top luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy, Fendi, and Bulgari, making it the world's largest luxury goods group.
But in 1982, 33-year-old Bernard Arnault was just a French businessman who had suffered heavy losses in the New York real estate market, a "loser" whose projects were not selling well and whose confidence had been severely damaged.
No one knew that this young man would return to France a little over a year later, use his keen business acumen to acquire the soon-to-be-bankrupt Dior, and then use it as the core to build a global luxury empire.
No one knew that this seemingly down-on-his-luck Frenchman would become the world's richest man multiple times over the next few decades.
But Lin Haoran knew.
Knowing this, he had Citibank arrange this meeting.
In fact, he could have entered the luxury goods industry before Bernard Arnault and preemptively acquired those famous luxury brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy, Fendi, Bulgari, and so on.
However, he had no such intention.
Today, he controls far too many conglomerates and numerous companies, which has already attracted a lot of attention.
If he were to expand into the luxury goods market and monopolize the industry, his public exposure would be excessive.
He didn't have a strong political backer, and he understood better than anyone that the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
Moreover, even if he personally ventured into the luxury goods industry and acquired these luxury brands, he might not be able to manage the luxury goods group well, since he is not a professional.
Instead of wasting time and effort in areas you're not good at, it's better to find someone knowledgeable to manage the business, providing funding and resources while you reap the rewards.
Therefore, he needs a proxy, someone who can stand in the spotlight and fight on his behalf.
Bernard Arnault is clearly the most suitable candidate.
Bernard's business acumen and operational capabilities are beyond question, as evidenced by his ability to break through the highly competitive luxury goods market and ultimately build the world's largest luxury goods group.
Moreover, he is currently at a low point in his life, and his confidence has been severely damaged.
In contrast, Lin Haoran is already a world-renowned billionaire, and judging from the other party's behavior just now, the other party seems to admire him.
If Lin Haoran were to lend a helping hand at this time, Bernard would certainly be grateful, and future cooperation would be smoother.
This is a sure-fire investment: investing in someone who will become the world's richest person in the future, and having them fight for you in their area of expertise. The return on investment far exceeds that of any financial product.
Lin Haoran remained silent, and Bernard Arnault also found it difficult to speak, as he did not know how to face this legendary figure.
Bernard Arnault's mind was still racing, trying to figure out why Lin Haoran had come to him.
Loan extension? Project cooperation?
Or something else?
He dared not ask, nor dared he guess.
The meeting room fell silent, with only the soft ticking of the wall clock.
After a while, Bernard Arnault couldn't hold back any longer.
He asked, "Mr. Lin, may I ask what brings you here? And how do you know me?"
Bernard Arnault's mind was filled with questions.
At the same time, it is also full of anticipation.
After all, it would seem strange to anyone that a top business tycoon who was on a completely different level from him would suddenly meet with him, a little-known French businessman in the New York real estate industry.
The Arnault family's total assets are only tens of millions of dollars, and their loans from Citibank are only a few million. There are plenty of people like that in New York, so why should Lin Haoran personally come forward?
However, if one could get close to such a person and make them an important connection, it would definitely be of great benefit to their future development in New York.
After all, the other party was an executive director of Citibank, someone even the future head of Citibank had to personally accompany.
Such connections are more valuable than any bank loan.
Lin Haoran put down his teacup, looked at Bernard Arnault, and said slowly with a smile, "Mr. Arnault, to be honest, I'm not very interested in your real estate projects in New York."
Bernard Arnault's heart sank.
His family's core business is real estate. If Lin Haoran isn't interested in his real estate projects, what else could he possibly offer to attract this business tycoon?
He racked his brains but couldn't figure it out.
While the Arnault family is somewhat well-known in the French real estate industry, they are not even considered prominent in the United States.
Aside from a few unsold apartment projects and a few luxury home projects, he had nothing else.
At this moment, Bernard Arnault had only one thought in his mind: What exactly did Lin Haoran see in me? (End of Chapter)