Sorting out his thoughts, Simon looked at Victor merises on the sofa opposite the reception area and said, "Vic, well, do you mind if I call you that?"
"Of course not, Mr. westlow," he said
Simon nodded slightly and said, "Vick, I've read your resume. I graduated from Lisbon University and served in the Portuguese special forces. I've been doing import and export trade between Portugal and Angola for more than ten years. I also have a coffee plantation in the north of Angola. These are the second. I also know something about the melissis family. As the first generation of immigrants, the melissis family once happened to operate a coffee plantation on the land I now own in the province of cuando in southern Angola. Then, in 1975, we all know what happened. Because of independence and civil war, more than 500000 white people in Angola were forced into exile overseas. You were lucky. At that time, you were 19 years old and studying at the University of Lisbon. Unfortunately, your parents and a pair of siblings were accidentally caught in an armed conflict during the escape. "
Listening to Simon, Victor merises did not look away from him. He looked at him with perseverance and a touch of sadness that still lingered for many years.
Simon said this, still staring at the middle-aged man opposite: "Vic, I hire you, because I found that more than one fifth of Angola's 500 tons of coffee exports in the past year were produced by you in the coffee plantation in northern Angola. I know you are a wonderful person and I like wonderful people. However, since you mentioned what you just happened, I need to know first, what do you want from me, revenge? "
Instead of answering Simon's question directly, Victor merissis said, "when I was very young, my father was my idol. He was an adventurous man like a cowboy. Our family once owned 18000 acres of coffee plantations in Cuando Province, which could produce 5000 tons of the best quality Arabica coffee every year. These were all from my father's hands for 20 years Accumulated at home, my childhood memories are the coffee trees all over the mountains. Then it all disappeared in 1975. Revenge, of course, I thought about it. It took me two and a half years to finish college, and then I chose to join the army. I wanted to go back to Angola to revenge for my family. However, when I returned to that country and spent three years investigating the events of that year, there was no result. Mr. westlow, perhaps you can imagine this scene, a group of monkeys gathered in the wild jungle, it doesn't seem very different, who can pick out the enemy from these monkeys. So I chose another way. When my father was very young, he told me that if someone took something from you, he would take it back twice as much. Over the years, I have been doing this thing, but unfortunately, I still started from scratch. For more than ten years, I can only do it to the present level, until someone contacted me and said that you need to take care of your own coffee planting It happened that the coffee growing area also included our old plantation
Simon listened patiently to Meredith's story and asked, "so you want to take back the plantation that used to belong to your family?"
Victor merises shook his head and said, "no, it's just my memory. Even if I go back to where I was, everything will be different. Mr. westlow, my father told me that if someone takes something from you, double it. So I just need you to provide me with a platform. As for how much I can get back, it depends on my own ability. Of course, in this process, I promise you will not get less than me. "
"Good," Simon nodded. "But, you know, Vic, the first thing I need is a coffee plantation manager."
"Of course, Mr. westerlow, and, I assure you, no one is more suitable than me. Because the person in charge of the coffee plantation you asked needs to take care of much more than planting coffee. The 150000 acre land is much larger than the plantation of our family at that time, which is not what a pure farmer can afford. There are many things to be taken into account, including dealing with the relationship with the authorities, recruiting labor, and the management after the coffee harvest I have experience in sales, even in the security of plantations. "
"Would you mind talking about your longer-term plan?"
"In fact, you are already doing it, Mr. westero. Through the arms trade with the Angolan government, it has penetrated into all aspects of the country. This is exactly what I hope to do in recent years, but my strength is too weak to reach the top of the country. As long as you are willing to hire me, first of all, I can spend three years to take care of the coffee plantation in cuando province. Because of the war, the coffee growing areas around cuando have been completely abandoned. It takes just three years from planting coffee from scratch to harvesting it for the first time. Three years later, if Mr. westero is satisfied with the results of my work, I hope to get more support from westero system and get involved in other industries in Angola. "
"What exactly?"
"Mr. westero, in addition to coffee, my trading company is still engaged in timber export business these years. Angola is rich in forestry resources, which are scarce in Europe with increasingly stringent environmental requirements. But as you know, my business is not big. In addition, if I have the opportunity, I certainly hope to get involved in the core mining field of Angola in the future. In fact, these are the only African countries that can win. They are regarded as the lifeblood. "Simon waited for melissis to finish, thought about it for a moment, and said, "in that case, this job is yours. What's more, I don't mind if you keep your current part of import and export trade business with one mind and two purposes. If this aspect is abandoned for three years, it will be very difficult to do it again in the future. Of course, if you don't think you can do both, it's OK to concentrate on the coffee plantation. "
"That's the best way, Mr. westlow. I just thought you might not like to use two things at once."
"Well, do you mind if I take a stake?"
"I just need to keep 30 percent of the shares."
"It's a smart decision. I'll give you $5 million, and I'll take 70%. Of course, this is not a purchase of your shares, but a capital injection. This money must be spent on the operation and expansion of the company. By the way, with regard to timber export, I can also introduce some businesses to you. In Ukraine, a company I work for over there happens to be trying to set foot in furniture manufacturing. "
Even if you count the plantations in northern Angola, Victor merissis's wealth is less than $1 million. Simon took out $5 million to buy 70% shares of merissis's import and export trading company. Middle aged people took a big advantage.
Victor merissis didn't promise Simon anything in words. When he talked about Ukraine, he took the initiative to remind him: "Mr. westero, I think Ukraine should not lack forestry resources. It's not cost-effective to import timber from Africa."
Melissis said that. Simon added another point to the other side in his heart. If it was someone else, he would probably not remind them.
With a smile, Simon said: "there is no shortage of ordinary wood in Ukraine, but there is no top-grade wood in Africa's primeval forests. What they need is just these."
When Simon went to Ukraine at the beginning of the year, he proposed Sergei komorov to try the field of furniture OEM, because Ukraine happens to have rich forestry resources and relatively low cost. Komorov implemented Simon's suggestion very well. He not only turned a paper mill with serious pollution into a furniture processing plant, but also successfully got an OEM order from IKEA a a few months ago.
Not only that, in order to get involved in furniture manufacturing, Sergei komorov personally led the team to Western European countries for more than a month's investigation. Inspired by the investigation, he won orders from IKEA. At the same time, he also registered the independent household brand of aldec company. In a phone call, he mentioned that Simon had a name addiction and named himself Katrina The company is still his preferred naming strategy for women.
This name does not refer to the memory of "game of power". Simon first thought of the Russian queen Ekaterina the great and planned to name the company according to "Victoria's Secret". However, the English translation of Ekaterina's name is Catherine, which is a bit long. It does not conform to the law that the simpler the name is, the easier the company is to succeed Later, I chose 'Katrina', which is not short, but it is easier to spell and remember than 'Catherine'.
Because it is an Eastern European enterprise, it is certainly not easy to open the planned Western European market under the traditional prejudice. If it locates at the middle and low end, it is more likely to be limited to the corner of Ukraine. Therefore, Simon suggests that Katrina start with high-end customized furniture, first make a name, and then continue.
Sergey komorov also recruited a furniture designer from the UK.
The company is still in the preparatory stage and plans to launch its first products by the end of the year.
High end customized furniture, excellent design is on the one hand, real material is more important. When it comes to this, the wood that has been growing for thousands of years in Africa's virgin forests, such as Huali, Bati and chicken wings, are absolutely the top solid wood furniture raw materials, not to mention that Africa has a huge stock of all kinds of sandalwood.
Simon and Victor merises talked for an hour and saw each other off. It was already five o'clock in the afternoon.
Leaving work on time has little to do with Simon.
, leaving the Amy Pascal, and then, Simon came to the office. The two men discussed the preparations for Universal Studios in Europe.
Danny rice entertainment and Italy government's negotiations on the establishment of Universal Studios near Rome have come to an end. The group's agent team has begun to buy land around Rome.
At this stage, it's hard to keep the information absolutely confidential. Universal Studios recently used to build global studios around Rome. The regional premium of
has been soaring. Some speculative capital has quietly joined the panic buying plots, and intends to make a profit after news is public. In order to reduce the cost of land acquisition as much as possible, Denise's team made two plans, one in the West and the other in the south of Rome. Unlike Universal Studios in Losangeles and other places,
is located in the Great Plains of the central Italy peninsula. The land resources are not scarce. The western and southern cities are suitable for the construction of Universal Studios City, Rome. Although a massive hemorrhage is inevitable, under the alternative, some people want to cash their land in a high position, so they can only take the initiative to make concessions.
Of course, on the surface, it is second-line and first-line, and there will certainly be a tendency.
Danielis senior management and theme park team hope to build the theme park in the west of Rome, between the Da Vinci International Airport and the main city of Rome, so as to obtain the most convenient traffic environment and maximum passenger flow. If there is no agreement on the Western plot, the southern plan will be launched.The end of the day's work, the time is more than six o'clock in the afternoon.
Simon returns to domay point estate, where a guest, Celia Miller, comes.
During this time, Celia didn't go to New York, so she had to fly to Los Angeles in person to report some work items to Simon. She didn't arrange the time during the day, so she simply chose the night. Military affairs were generally considered private affairs of the Westeros. There was nothing wrong with discussing them at home.
It was not unusual for Celia to stay at domay point.
There is no shortage of guest rooms at Domaine point.
In addition to shell villas, most of the cliff villas on both sides of domay point manor, which looks like a B2 bomber, have been reserved after a large area of enclosure in recent years. It is no problem to entertain hundreds of guests at one time. Of course, Simon is not the kind of person who is very hospitable. There are few parties at home, let alone inviting too many guests.
Dinner is still in preparation, but there is no immediate business.
When Simon gets home, Janet and Celia are sitting together on the sofa beside the glass curtain wall of shell villa, drinking coffee and chatting. They seem to be more familiar with each other than Simon. In fact, Janet is also staring at a lot of things about the private army of the Uygur family, especially after the integration of the private intelligence team of the Uygur family and the private army of the Uygur family More.
Just came to the curtain wall and sat down, baby son came running with two black backed ducks.
Some time ago, when the little guy wanted to raise ducks, Simon found two wild duck eggs for his child. They were the ones that were about to hatch. They hatched successfully a week ago. At that time, the little guy was always by the incubator. Because of the natural habits of birds, he successfully recognized his mother.
Well, it should be dad.
These days, my son and two little kids are inseparable, and they also take their names. One is Jack, the other is Emma. Simon can't tell which one is exactly. What's more, he doesn't know whether the gender is right or not. Anyway, he is his son's pet.
No matter.
When he came near, he called for his father and politely said hello to Celia. The little guy picked up a duckling and said to Simon, "Dad, Emma has grown up again today."
Simon takes the duckling with a smile and holds his son to his lap. As soon as the father and son have a few words, another duckling chirps. Janet, who is sitting next to Simon, has caught Jack and is playing with interest. Women have no resistance to the fluffy little things.
Of course, it's impatient for Janet to raise her.
Just play.
Melbourne see mother began to ravage their baby, did not dare to snatch, obviously has had the experience of failure, can only look pitifully at his father. Simon is also helpless about how Janet likes to play with the wings of ducklings and listen to the calls. He reaches out to save the little thing, and holds him with his son's eyes to avoid with two ducklings.