Chapter 697: Golf Course Negotiations

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Buddy Morris nodded knowingly, "I'm afraid that Kongscart's management may not be able to agree." ”

"You can raise the offer appropriately. But if they still don't agree, they will abandon the merger. ”

Although the future of the telecommunications industry is very bright, similar to electricity, transportation, etc., it belongs to the category of lying down to make money, but so far he has not had much interest in entering the industry. One is that he thinks that Matrix still has huge room for development, and the other is that he thinks that the subprime mortgage crisis is a good opportunity to sweep goods at a low price.

Of course, if Kongscat's board of directors and management really agree that he has control of the company, then he doesn't mind moving ahead either.

"Got it!"

Guo Shouyun got up and patted him on the shoulder, "I have time to learn more about telecommunications, even if the merger with Kongscater fails this time, we will still enter the telecommunications industry in the future." ”

"Yes!"

"Also, you will be in charge of the preliminary negotiations with Kongscat, and I will let the people from the secretariat help you. If there's something you can't decide, remember to contact me. ”

After explaining Buddy Morris, Guo Shouyun left the company.

Day 2, Pebble Beach Golf Course.

Guo Shouyun, dressed in white sportswear, received Carl Bass, chairman of the board of directors of MGM, who is over 60 years old.

"Mr. Guo, it is a great honor to receive your invitation. ”

"Mr. Bass is gracious, please!"

"Please!"

After the two walked to the tee area in the middle of the court, "I have always heard that Mr. Bass has amazing golf skills, and he has won the California Golf Championship, so you have to be merciful this time." ”

"That was when I was younger. Nowadays, my energy and physical strength are not as good as before, plus I am busy with work, I also play less, and my skills have regressed too much. However, Mr. Guo should be more sympathetic to me as a guest for a while, and don't let me lose too embarrassed. Karl Bass smiled with a wave of his hand.

"You're too modest, please!"

Karl Bass nodded, and after a brief aim, he twisted his body to the right, twisted his body into a bow, and his arms fell sharply.

With a 'bang', with the flying of grass clippings, the white golf ball flew into the sky like a shooting star, and in the Mediterranean-style climate of California, even on a sunny summer morning, it did not look hot, and it crossed a graceful curve and landed less than half a meter from the hole.

"Bang Bang...!"

Guo Shouyun applauded lightly.

"Mr. Bass was really good at the ball and hit a beautiful 'birdie' right away. ”

They play a 'par three', with a par three from the time they hit the shot to the time they hit the hole. But now Karl Bass landed less than a metre from the hole in his first shot and scored 100 per cent of his second shot. One shot less than par, in golf terminology, is called 'birdie', and two strokes less than par is called 'old win'. One more shot than par is called 'Boki'.

Carl Bass also had a smile on his face.

"It's finally maintained some standards. … Now to Mr. Guo. ”

Guo Shouyun nodded, walked to the service point, and after a simple aim, raised his arms and brewed, and hit it with a 'bang'.

White golf balls streaked across the sky and landed about 10 meters from the hole.

"It seems that my skills are still not as good as Mr. Bass. ”

"The first shot hit the green, the second shot went in, and the third shot went into the hole! ”

"Mr. Bass is a little ashamed of what he said!

"Mr. Guo, please!"

The two got on the open-top car next to them and made their way to the green.

A green is a term in golf that refers to the turf on which the hole is located, and the grass on the green is short, smooth, and helps to putt, which is a transliteration of the English green.

There is no fixed size and shape for greens, so it can be said that no two greens in the world are exactly the same. Standard courses generally have an area of more than 600 square meters per green. The grass on the greens is more delicate and delicate than the grass in other areas of the golf course, and it is also more susceptible to disease, so it needs to be cared for.

Once on the green, Karl Bass made a hole-in-one and made a birdie. Guo Shouyun made a three-shot hole, par.

After five holes, the two grabbed a bottle of water and sat down in the lounge area next to it.

"Mr. Guo specially invited me to play golf today, I'm afraid there is another reason, right?" Carl Bass, who hadn't waited for Guo Shouyun to speak, couldn't help it.

Guo Shouyun's right hand for drinking water paused and nodded.

"With the wisdom of Mr. Bass, I want to understand the purpose of my invitation to come here. ”

"MGM mergers?"

"That's right!"

"Mr. Guo, you should talk to the management represented by Gary Barber about this matter. The purpose of the board of directors is only to ensure the interests of shareholders and to supervise the management to make them work for the development of the company. ”

"Of course I know that. However, MGM's management is not thinking about the interests of MGM shareholders, they only want to get a good return from the leveraged buyout consortium formed by Sony and Kongscart, and take the opportunity to leave MGM, a big ship that is about to sink. After a pause, Guo Shouyun said in a calm and unquestioning tone, "So, I don't think Gary Barber can no longer represent the interests of MGM shareholders, he... It should be abdicated to make way for the virtuous. ”

Carl Bass's pupils shrank, he didn't expect Guo Shouyun to react so violently to Gary Barber. After thinking about it, he cautiously said: "Mr. Guo, changing the CEO of MGM requires the approval of nearly two-thirds of the entire board of directors, so even if I promise you, it will be difficult to succeed in this matter." ”

"I will reach out to each of the MGM board members, and the key is the attitude of Mr. Carl Bass. ”

Seeing that this matter was unavoidable, Carl Bass pondered for a moment, "Can I ask Mr. Guo a question?"

"Of course!"

"What does the Matrix plan to do with MGM Pictures after acquiring it?"

"It seems that Mr. Bass still has a deep affection for MGM!" Guo Shouyun said with a smile.

"I've been with this company for twenty years, and I haven't had a few twenty years in my life. If it were Mr. Guo, I think you would be like me!"

Guo Shouyun nodded, "I understand your feelings. After a pause, "After the acquisition of MGM, Matrix will streamline some of its personnel, and then integrate its production department with the production department of Universal Pictures and Matrix Pictures, and all three distribution departments will also be integrated." In the future, in addition to Matrix Pictures, Universal and MGM will exist as brands under the distribution division, making full use of their influence among fans to distribute more films for Matrix Pictures and external production companies. ”

"Can't it exist as an independent film company?"

"No!" Guo Shouyun shook his head affirmatively, "After I acquired Universal, the reason why I kept its production department was to avoid rushing to integrate and cause internal turmoil, which would affect the company's development. Now that after more than two years of transition, the various departments of the company are already very familiar with each other, and the problems are almost exposed, it is time for another round of more thorough integration, streamlining personnel and institutions, eliminating the barriers formed after rapid expansion, and truly integrating the matrix into one. ”

Guo Shouyun's resolute attitude made Carl Bass show a deep look of disappointment on his face.

"Mr. Guo, if that's the case, I'm inclined to sell MGM to a consortium led by Sony, at least they can ensure the integrity of MGM Pictures and exist as an independent film and television company. ”

"I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint Mr. Bass!" Guo Shouyun smiled.

"What do you mean?"

"After I announced that Matrix's library would support Sony's DVD standard, they had abandoned the acquisition of MGM. Kongscart also agreed to launch this leveraged buyout of MGM after receiving my promise to acquire MGM and exclusively license its film library, as well as the cable rights to Matrix's new movies and TV series. ”

"How many of the remaining Wall Street institutional investors, such as Providesdon, the Texas Pacific Fund, and the Quad, are willing to buy MGM at a 40 percent premium? Gary Barber's failed operation of MGM Pictures for more than three years has made it clear that they have no talent at all. With the shrewdness of the Wall Street guys, do you think they'd be willing to invest $4.8 billion in MGM's library?"

Originally, Provisdon, Texas Pacific Fund, and Sifang Group were willing to join the acquisition. One is to take a fancy to the entertainment industry that is now in full swing in the United States and want to get a piece of the pie. The other is because Howard Stringer has led Sony Colombia to develop well in recent years, which makes them feel that with Howard Stringer's leadership, they should be able to pull MGM ashore just as he led Colombia out of the quagmire of losses.

In addition, Kongscat, a giant on the 'path' side, can provide a richer market for MGM's film library and stronger channel support.

It is a combination of these factors that Provisdon, the Texas Pacific Fund, and the Quad will agree to take a risk. Now the two most important buyout supports are gone. The risk suddenly soared to the point of unbearable, how could they continue to invest before.

Carl Bass is not a fool to be the chairman of the board of directors of MGM. Thinking about the cause and effect, his face instantly turned a little gray.

There is no leveraged buyout consortium led by Sony. Then MGM is the only three acquisition candidates left in the matrix, Walt Disney and Time Warner. However, Walt Disney is only willing to pay $4 billion, and Time Warner is even lower, only giving $3.5 billion. Only the price offered by the matrix company is higher.

In addition, whether it is Matrix, Disney, or Time Warner, they will no longer let MGM continue to exist as an independent film and television company, but like Matrix, let it give full play to the influence it has established in the hearts of fans over the past hundred years and become a distribution agency.

"Since Mr. Guo has cleared all obstacles, then why do you want to come to me? Wouldn't it be better to go directly to Gary Barber? After all, he has no other choice but Mr. Guo. ”

"Gary Barber, of course I'll look for it. But I'm not going to give them the terms that the Sony consortium promised at the time of the leveraged buyout! The four of them shared $240 million, which is outrageous. They simply don't deserve the price. So, in order to avoid these guys getting into new trouble on impulse, I need to be prepared for both. ”

After a pause, Guo Shouyun turned his head and said, "I am willing to give nine members of the MGM Board of Directors, including Mr. Bass, a pension equal to your five-year salary." ”

Money is the thing that touches people's hearts the most, no matter what time it is.

Carl Bass's eyes lit up when he heard his words. His current salary as chairman of MGM's board of directors is $500,000 a year, and his salary for five more years is $2.5 million, which is a huge amount of money.

"I need to think about it before I can reply to you!"

From the intention in Karl Bass's eyes, Guo Shouyun knew that this matter was inseparable, so he nodded very simply.

"But I hope Mr. Bass will keep this matter a secret, and not tell anyone for now. ”

"What about the other members of the MGM Board of Directors...?"

"I'll solve this naturally!"

Hearing this, Carl Bass nodded and didn't ask any more questions. He could guess that Guo Shouyun's solution was to open the way with money.

But it's really the best way to do it.

Because of the nature of leveraged buyouts, it is always the management of the company that gets the most benefits, and the board of directors is just a 'rubber stamp' that they must choose to agree to after reaching an agreement. After all, it's the management that really manages the company. The board of directors is only responsible for supervising and ensuring the interests of shareholders, and does not have much to do with the actual management of the company.

So when management points a 'gun' at their heads, no one will refuse, and they can't refuse to sign a leveraged buyout agreement.

Unless they decide that the acquisition agreement does not reflect the true value of the company, this is rarely the case.

After chatting about the substance, the two played a few more rounds and left.

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