Simon returned to the manor in Greenwich City. Janet, who had arrived early, was greeted by the villa door, threw herself into the man's arms and intimately, and walked into the living room with his arm.

Not in a hurry to pay attention to the affairs in Africa, the couple sat down on the sofa in the living room, and Simon asked about the results of the woman's trip to Boston.

With the rise of Black Rock Asset Management Company, a subsidiary of Cersei Capital, many large financial groups have begun to pay attention to this business. Before Black Rock, although professional asset management companies had developed for many years, there was no such company with a scale of US$200 billion. Most financial companies have been more interested in high-risk and high-yield fields such as hedge funds and private equity in recent years.

Black Rock Asset Management Company wins completely by scale and reaches a certain scale level. The risks are still very low, but the returns are high enough, which makes other financial giants unable to calm down.

Wall Street has always been known for its mystery and power in the hearts of later generations.

In fact, before the 1990s, Wall Street's strength was far less powerful than it had been since the new century, and the financial industries of European countries were still enough to compete with the United States.

The real change in the pattern began in the 1990s. The continuous economic turmoil and recession in Europe and Asia led to a large amount of capital flowing into the United States, where the economy continued to flourish. The federal authorities also continued to relax the regulation of the financial industry in the 1990s, which eventually created a strong situation in which Wall Street dominated the world after the new century.

Whether it is hedge funds, private equity or asset management industries, Wall Street showed a tenfold rapid growth in the 1990s.

The total size of hedge funds increased from tens of billions of dollars in the 1980s to trillions of dollars after the new century. After the madness of the 1980s, private equity no longer used leverage uncontrollably, but the overall scale continued to increase. The business model tends to be a conservative asset management industry, and it has developed a super giant of trillions of dollars from the highest asset management scale of tens of billions of dollars in the 1980s.

For the overall development strategy of the Westeros system, Simon, the three subsidiaries under Cersei Capital, paid the least attention to Cersei Fund Management Company, which mainly engages in hedge fund business, and the Black Rock Asset Management Company, which Lawrence Fink is responsible for.

Black Rock Asset Management's total assets have exceeded US$210 billion recently, but Simon is not satisfied.

Since the beginning of the year, Janet has been planning a quarrel with the goal of Boston-based State Street Bank. The old banking giant was previously considering making its asset management business independent and establishing a single asset management subsidiary similar to Black Rock.

Later people who are interested in the equity structure of large American companies will definitely find that two names can usually be found at the forefront of the public shareholders, whether it is emerging technology companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, or old giants such as General Electric, Boeing, and ExxonMobil. The former is Black Rock Group and the latter is State Street Bank.

Even if the overall asset management scale has never been comparable to Black Rock Group, the strength of State Street Bank, which is usually among the top five public shareholders of large enterprises like Black Rock, can be seen.

At this stage, State Street Bank's core business is still concentrated in the traditional banking field. The asset management business is not operated independently, and the scale of the controlling asset is only one-tenth of the total assets of State Street Bank, about 60 billion US dollars.

Of course, the asset management scale of US$60 billion is already at the level of a giant in this era.

Before most financial giants only realized the development prospects of the asset management industry and did not fully see the importance of the industry's future impact on the direction of the US economy, Simon decisively and Janet launched a plan to try to intercept the ruthless, hoping to directly strangle the plan of State Street Bank's plan to divest the asset management department's own operation in the cradle.

This plan is very feasible.

The core lies in the golden sign "Cersei Capital".

For the old State Street Bank, it is still very cost-effective to use an asset management department that is only one-tenth of its total business to exchange for tickets to join Cersei Capital, and then establish a close cooperative relationship with the entire Westeros system at least at this stage.

Therefore, after Janet began contacting State Street at the beginning of the year, although the other party did not give a positive response immediately, it did not close the negotiation door.

After tug-of-war with each other for a while, the formal negotiations finally began in March.

Janet went to Boston this time to finalize the details of the cooperation.

"The final plan is a complete merger and merger, and we can save a lot of money," said Janet, sitting on Simon's leg in the living room of the villa, holding one hand around the man's neck, and gently scratching his chin with the other hand, saying: "25% of the equity of Black Rock Asset Management Company is exchanged for the entire asset management department of State Street. 22% of the equity belongs to State Street, and the other 3% of the equity belongs to several core senior executives of the Asset Management Team of the Bank of State Street. After this transaction, our shareholding ratio dropped from 41% to 32%. However, State Street said it can grant us the voting rights of its 22% stake, with a term of 5 years."

Janet said this, blinking at Simon sly.

Simon naturally understood.

As Black Rock Asset Management's scale expanded rapidly, the relationship between Simon and Lawrence Fink was far less harmonious than that in the beginning.

The key is the issue of control over this financial giant.

Lawrence Fink has built the business model of Black Rock Asset Management. However, the fundamental reason why this company has been able to expand its asset scale to the current level of $210 billion in just a few years is the golden sign "Cersei Capital". Wall Street has never lacked genius bankers, and in recent years, Cersei Capital's attractiveness to global investors is incomparable to even the veteran Morgan and Goldman Sachs.

The reason is that the Westeros system has risen over the years is a miracle. Capital is profit-seeking, and investors are naturally more inclined to companies that can bring them rich returns.

Lawrence Fink obviously knows this, so in recent years, he has only quietly diluted the shareholding ratio of the parent company Cersei Capital by constantly dividing its equity to new partners as much as possible. Before this transaction, Cersei Capital's shares held by Black Rock Asset Management Company had been reduced from the initial 50% to 41%.

Not only that, Lawrence Fink also intends to further list Black Rock Asset Management.

For financial companies with traditional partnerships, the equity of partners is usually not permanent. Once the partners leave the company, they can only get a compensation, and the shares during their employment need to be returned.

In comparison, once a financial company goes public, as the nature of the company changes, the equity structure is completely finalized, and the shares held by partners become permanent stocks. Moreover, special powers such as the veto power originally enjoyed by Cersei Capital's parent company are out of place for listed companies.

In short, when a company gradually becomes a mass-holding company with dispersed equity through listing, the power of shareholders will often be weakened and the control of the company's board of directors and management will increase significantly.

Lawrence Fink wanted to gradually gain real control of Black Rock Asset Management from Cersei Capital in the form of constantly dispersing equity and promoting corporate listing. In the original space and time, this top Wall Street banker did this.

This time it is no longer possible.

Moreover, as long as the merger between Black Rock Asset Management and the asset management department of State Street Bank is reached, Fink’s plans in recent years will be directly returned to the original point.

The voting rights of 22% of the shares of State Street, even if not permanent, include the voting rights of 54% of the shares held by Cersei Capital, are enough to ensure that the Simons and his wife enjoy absolute control of Black Rock Asset Management within the next five years.

Five years is enough to do too many things.

When a company develops to a certain level, the operation of the company is often like a huge machine, with considerable independent operation capabilities and no longer requires operators to operate in real time in a continuous and real-time manner. The result is that even Lawrence Fink, the founder who built this machine, is no longer essential.

Moreover, at this stage, it is no longer the early stage of Lawrence Fink's job transfer from Blackstone Group to Cersei Capital.

At that time, the total assets managed by Black Rock Asset Management Company were only US$3 billion. At that time, even if Lawrence Fink left the house in vain, he could make a comeback with his own abilities.

Now, once the merger of State Street's asset management department is completed, coupled with its own continuous expansion, it is expected that by the end of this year, the total assets under Black Rock Asset Management will exceed US$300 billion, which is 100 times the scale of Cersei Capital's initial takeover of Black Rock.

At this time, not to mention whether Lawrence Fink is willing to give up everything he has now left the house, even if he really does this, it will be difficult for him to create such a financial empire with assets of hundreds of billions of dollars from scratch.

Simon originally agreed to share the equity of Black Rock Asset Management Company at the same time as his 50% shareholding ratio, which actually showed his attitude. He attached great importance to Lawrence Fink, who built the Black Rock Empire in the original time and space, so he did not pursue controlling rights. However, Cersei Capital must not take over and be gradually marginalized in this company. This is the bottom line.

Lawrence Fink tried to touch this bottom line, and Cersei Capital's counterattack was to completely regain absolute control of Black Rock Asset Management.

As long as the transaction is successful, at least in the next five years, both nominally and in fact, Cersei Capital will firmly grasp the absolute control of Black Rock Asset Management. If Lawrence Fink still cannot change his attitude, Simon will not mind letting the other party be completely eliminated.

In the living room of the villa, after listening to Janet's introduction to the general merger plan, Simon asked: "How is Fink's current state?"

Janet rubbed the stubble on Simon's chin with his palm and said, "Didn't he always want to expand the scale of Black Rock as much as possible? This time it happened to be what he wanted. What else can he do? However, in Washington, it may take some effort to get approval from the authorities."

In recent years, Westeros system has been too sharp. Even though this transaction between Black Rock Asset Management and State Street does not involve monopoly, because the scale of assets held by Black Rock Asset Management is too large, the authorities will inevitably create obstacles because of fear.

The couple snuggled on the sofa in the living room without anyone else to discuss how to deal with obstacles from Washington. After a while, a tall thirty-something woman in a dark blue OL suit came out of the corridor on the west side of the living room. Seeing the Simon and his wife, she paused slightly, and nodded to Jenny who looked at her, and then said to Simon: "Mr. Westeros, I just came over and asked, everyone was waiting for you."

Janet heard the woman say it, and she already smiled and got off Simon's leg, saying, "I'll prepare dinner, my dear, what do you want to eat?"

Simon said as many times in the past: "Whatever."

Although Simon cannot meet the roughness of Buffett's burger and coke all day, he never picks, and will not search around the world like some rich people.

Janet joked that he wanted the chef to make a dish called "Sutra". Finally, he glanced at the woman who unbuttoned the two buttons on the neck of the shirt, who was intentionally or unintentionally exposed her white and tender chest, and turned to the kitchen on the east side to walk.

Simon also stood up and looked at the woman's neckline without any concealment. His eyes moved downward, outlining several perfect arcs, and slightly signaled the woman to lead the way, saying, "Let's go, Celia. By the way, what's the result of this action?"

The woman's name is Celia Miller, 36 years old and married. Miller is her husband's surname.

However, this woman's background is very interesting to dig deep.

Celia Miller is a native of Washington officials. She is not prominent, but she is also considered an upper class.

After graduating from Northwestern University, Celia Miller went straight to political career, and her first job was a White House intern for President Ronald Reagan who had just taken office. Later, she joined the U.S. Treasury Department at the age of 24 and married her current husband Philip Miller at the age of 27.

Philip Miller's father, Michael Miller, is a lieutenant general. Philip Miller, who is three years older than Celia Miller, is also a professional soldier. After serving in the Navy in his early years, he currently has the rank of colonel working in the Joint Staff of the Pentagon.

Taking advantage of her husband's relationship with the military, Celia Miller moved to work in the defense system after marriage. When she left at the beginning of last year, this woman had already taken the post of director of the Attorney General's Office of the Department of Defense. The Office of the Attorney General of the US Department of Defense is equivalent to the "FBI" system within the US military, and is responsible for supervising the operation of the entire US military. This is evident.

It is precisely because this department is so important that after Clinton came to power, he naturally had to nominate and arrange his own candidates as much as possible.

The White House cannot act arbitrarily about these core departments of the country, and many officials need to approve their destiny.

Moreover, the US military has its own unique system, and internal forces are intertwined. Even if it is a position that the White House has the power to decide, it is not just the president who wants to do whatever he wants. It is often the result of the trade-offs and game between all parties.

Originally, according to Celia Miller's background, this woman would not have been taken down.

Unfortunately, Lieutenant General Michael Miller, the biggest backer of the Miller family, officially retired in 1992 and was out of trouble. The Miller family's connections in the military can only ensure that Philip Miller's position in the Department of Defense after the change of leadership. Celia Miller, who has a stronger upward momentum than her husband, can only be forced to be eliminated.

After more than ten years of struggle, Celia Miller almost broke up with her husband's family when she returned to the liberation.

You know, her marriage with her husband is actually a complete cover.

Philip Miller is a gay person.

At this stage, the United States is still very conservative, and the homosexuality problem is even more taboo in the military system. After Clinton came to power last year, he tried to loosen the homosexuality problem in the military, but he was disappointed. He is still often attacked by the media, which shows the sensitivity of this problem.

Philip Miller was almost kicked out of the army because of homosexuality. In order to ensure the future of his son, Michael Miller personally arranged the marriage and naturally promised Celia Miller. In order to make this marriage more decent, the apparent couple gave birth to a son through test tube fertilization in the 1980s.

After paying so much, Celia Miller is certainly unwilling to clear the zero-zero overnight. She has been trying to save it for the past year, but unfortunately she has failed.

Until he heard that Simon Westeros was looking for a personal military assistant.

Personal military assistant, this is a very fresh word.

Often as a violent machine of a country, it is difficult for the army to be associated with individuals.

However, Simon Westeros, the name is never wrong.

U.S. government officials are usually not permanent, and it is a practice to switch to private enterprises based on their accumulated connections and qualifications after leaving.

Since there is no hope for climbing in politics, Celia Miller decisively submitted her resume.

Logically speaking, it is better for a military assistant to be a man, but Simon is used to using female assistants and has no intention of changing.

Moreover, he did not hide his preferences.

In the end, this woman with a first-class appearance, figure and a very interesting background was selected among hundreds of candidates.

People who can come into contact with Simon's circle often feel that there are so many beauties around this super tycoon.

Simon Westeros can collect a lot of top beauties that ordinary people may never reach in their lifetime, and most of them have such a smart mind, which is not easy for even slightly average rich people.

The key is that Simon is already at the top of the pyramid of this world.

Moreover, Simon not only has huge wealth, but the entire Westeros system also has a very strong voice in the fields of entertainment, fashion, technology, etc.

Comprehensive aspects of all aspects almost ensured that Simon seeks most of the resources on this planet, including the beauty resources.

If Simon wants, he can find a bunch of women of some kind for himself to enjoy at any time. Just like the hundreds of luolis being raised in Europe and the Caribbean at this time.

Celia Miller is excellent in both appearance and ability.

But in this world, the most undesirable thing is people.

When the population base is large enough, even if it is strictly screened layer by layer, there is enough room for choice.

For Simon, Celia Miller is just one of the hundreds of equally outstanding military assistant candidates he can pick.

Celia Miller walked slightly in front of Simon, heard the man's inquiry and nodded, "It went very smoothly. Our helicopter formation was divided into five groups, and all the headquarters of the National Radio Station in the capital of Rwanda and the broadcast base stations in the four provinces were cleared."
Chapter completed!