Chapter 352: The Aggrieved Niu Bijian
At the headquarters of Jardines Matheson, in Niu Bijian's office.
When the Landmark Group officially announced to the public that Ma Shiming would take over as General Manager and concurrently serve as Vice Chairman of the Board, Niu Bijian found himself overwhelmed with complex emotions.
The day before, Lin Haoran had privately informed Niu Bijian that the successor for the Landmark Group had been decided—meaning that Niu, the taipan of Jardines Matheson, would no longer hold any position within the Landmark Group.
Niu was extremely curious at the time and wanted to ask who the chosen successor was, but Lin Haoran didn't offer much explanation. He simply smiled mysteriously and said, "You'll know tomorrow."
After receiving the news, Niu pondered over it again and again, unable to guess whom Lin Haoran had selected for such a crucial role.
Now, with the Landmark Group's formal announcement, all the suspense had been resolved.
Yet, this result was something Niu found very hard to accept.
The key reason was that the new head of the Landmark Group was none other than one of his former subordinates—someone he had once highly regarded.
Niu was deeply familiar with Ma Shiming, who had previously served as a board member at Jardines. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he had personally mentored and groomed him.
Indeed, Ma was undeniably talented and had provided tremendous assistance in management. This was precisely why Niu had relied heavily on him during his time at Jardines Matheson.
However, Ma had occasionally made decisions that Niu didn't agree with, and disagreements between them were not uncommon.
When such conflicts arose, Niu's opinion as taipan always had the final say.
A few months ago, when Ma tendered his resignation, Niu had tried hard to persuade him to stay.
After all, Ma had provided invaluable support during his tenure—even though much of the credit ultimately went to Niu, as taipan.
Naturally, he was unwilling to lose such a gifted subordinate.
But people follow their own paths. Though Niu was reluctant, the board ultimately respected Ma's decision and approved his resignation.
He had thought their paths would rarely cross again.
Unexpectedly, just two or three months later, his once-trusted lieutenant had returned to Hong Kong—assuming such a lofty role.
What was even more surprising was that Ma had been invited back as the General Manager and Vice Chairman of the Landmark Group.
The most difficult pill for Niu to swallow was the fact that this former subordinate had now become his direct superior.
Now, the hierarchical relationship between Jardines Matheson and the Landmark Group had been completely reversed.
Jardines Matheson used to be the parent company of the Landmark Group.
However, with the shares of Jardines jointly held by the Landmark Group and Lin Haoran exceeding the shares Jardines held in Landmark, this identity had undergone a dramatic transformation.
The Landmark Group was no longer a subsidiary. Instead, it had reversed roles and become the parent company.
As for Jardines Matheson, the former parent company had now been reduced to a subsidiary of the Landmark Group.
What did this change mean?
It meant that Niu, the taipan of Jardines Matheson, was now, in name, under the jurisdiction of the Landmark Group.
Ma Shiming had, effectively, become his superior.
How could Niu possibly accept this?
Yet, no matter how difficult it was to accept, this had already become reality.
So, after the Landmark Group publicly announced this major news, Niu hurried to the Landmark headquarters office.
His goal was, naturally, to fight for his own interests.
Niu hoped Ma Shiming would not interfere in the affairs of Jardines Matheson under the guise of the Landmark Group being the parent company.
He felt that if even the daily operations of Jardines had to be directly managed by the Landmark Group, then his own position as taipan would be meaningless.
He could not accept being reduced from a decision-maker to someone merely executing others' orders.
His desire for power and control had long been deeply rooted—he would never give up absolute authority over Jardines Matheson easily.
Completely relinquishing management of the Landmark Group was already his bottom line.
But as for Jardines, he had to maintain his previous control at all costs.
When he arrived at the Landmark Group, Niu saw that Ma Shiming was giving a joint interview to TVB and the Oriental Daily News.
After asking around with some employees, he confirmed that Lin Haoran was not currently at Landmark's headquarters.
After waiting for more than half an hour, Ma finally finished his interview.
At that moment, Niu felt stifled and frustrated.
In the past, he would never have had to wait like this. He would've been the one being interviewed!
He used to be the dominating figure at both Jardines Matheson and the Landmark Group—even Ma Shiming had to treat him with respect and follow his instructions.
Now, in just a few short months, his status had undergone a complete reversal.
Though he still held the title of taipan, his standing was far from what it once was.
Who could have imagined that the relationship between Jardines and Landmark would undergo such a dramatic reversal? The former parent company had become the subsidiary, and the former subsidiary had become the parent.
"Mr. Niu, what brings you here?" Ma Shiming asked with a smile as if noticing him just now, walking over after the reporters left.
Niu took a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions and hide the disappointment and resentment within.
He forced a slight smile onto his face, attempting to speak to his former subordinate—now superior—with a calm yet dignified demeanor.
"Mr. Ma, congratulations on becoming Vice Chairman and General Manager of the Landmark Group," Niu said with a calm voice, though his complex emotions were barely concealed.
Ma gave a modest smile, his eyes sincere: "Thank you, Mr. Niu. I'm deeply grateful for your guidance and trust in the past. Without your support, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Niu nodded lightly, his feelings a mix of bitterness and resignation.
He knew all too well that while those words were pleasant, they were mere formalities.
So, he changed the subject and got straight to the point: "Mr. Ma, I'm here today to talk to you about some matters regarding the future of Jardines Matheson and the Landmark Group."
"Please speak, Mr. Niu. I'm all ears," Ma said solemnly.
Ma was briefly taken aback, but quickly composed himself and gestured for Niu to continue.
"With the Landmark Group now becoming the parent company of Jardines Matheson, I understand that you have the authority to intervene in our decisions. However, I hope that Jardines Matheson can still retain a degree of independence and autonomy."
Niu chose his words carefully. "After all, Jardines has its own unique history and culture, as well as a proven management system. And I, Niu Bijian, have years of experience managing Jardines, with the support and recognition of many. I believe you trust in my management abilities as well, so I hope that as long as things remain stable, you won't interfere in Jardines' decision-making."
He laid out his intentions directly.
Ma suddenly understood—so that's why Niu had come to him the moment he took office.
He was afraid Ma would meddle in Jardines' internal affairs.
And now, Ma did indeed have that power.
As the de facto second-in-command of the Landmark Group—and with Lin Haoran mostly hands-off—Ma effectively held real authority.
He was fully capable of stepping in to manage Jardines' business.
However, after in-depth discussions with Lin Haoran in Singapore, Ma had come to understand Niu's importance at Jardines, at least in the short term. He knew he couldn't act too rashly or push too hard.
If he drove Niu away too soon, the current senior management at Jardines might become unstable. And without suitable replacements, things could spiral quickly.
Besides, Ma was not the domineering type. He clearly understood that the best approach was to let Niu continue to lead Jardines for now. Gradually, his own people could replace the current top management, and only then could Niu be phased out.
This was the wisest strategy.
After all, Ma had just joined the Landmark Group, and his top priority was to stabilize the company from within.
He hadn't even gained full control of Landmark—so why rush to interfere with Jardines?
So Ma smiled and said, "Mr. Niu, rest assured. Under normal circumstances, I will not interfere with Jardines' decision-making. I have full confidence in your ability and leadership. Of course, as a major shareholder of Jardines, both I and the Landmark Group will continue to pay attention to its development. But as long as no major mistakes occur, you will have our full trust and support."
Hearing this, Niu let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He had come feeling anxious, afraid that Ma would wield his new power to interfere in Jardines' affairs.
He had even mentally prepared himself for a strong confrontation.
Now that he had received a clear response, Niu knew he no longer needed to press the issue.
Even so, he still felt stifled.
It was as if he had to beg Ma not to interfere in Jardines' affairs—and that left a very bitter taste in his mouth.
As taipan of Jardines for many years, Niu had long since developed a dignified and authoritative presence.
Yet now, facing Ma, that sense of authority seemed to have faded.
This left him feeling both frustrated and helpless.
But he also understood that under the current circumstances, unless he gave up his position entirely, he had no choice but to endure.
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