tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41687126796171031092024-03-06T12:02:19.951-08:00Rothwell-GorntQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-83582814441628074232014-03-13T04:14:00.001-07:002014-03-13T04:17:54.884-07:00Stratton Oakmont Sets the Standard<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dear Fellow Shareholders,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Martin Scorsese’s exalted production, <i>The Wolf of Wall Street</i> was like peering into the offices of Rothwell-Gornt
itself. The motion picture left quite the impression on your Supreme Leader, along
with many on our trading floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amongst the film's uplifting moments – dwarves, Quaaludes,
and a memorable scene featuring a Jade Gate spring to mind – it struck me that the
Belfortian school of management would be quite apt for Hong Kong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Assuming we can prise him from the halls of Harvard and Wharton, we must
invite young Jordon to present at our 2014 Shareholder Meeting. I dare say a
place on the Board may even be on the cards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Best of joss in the year of the whores,</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Quillan Gornt</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CEO and Taipan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rothwell-Gornt Holdings</span></div>
Quillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-82390154178129293152014-03-12T09:51:00.001-07:002014-03-13T04:18:03.576-07:00Merger Announced<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dear Fellow Shareholders,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What in the name of the
three Star Gods have you been doing?” demanded Lazarus Leung, just the other
day. Distracted from mixing a Dalmore 62 Single Malt and <i>Extrajoss Cola</i>, I looked up to face the esteemed <i>hong’s</i> Director of Corporate Affairs.
“Leave your weblog idle,” he said, “and Struan’s will think you’ve gone soft!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Freshly poached from the
Hong Kong Bank (<a href="http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1445953/dozens-brokers-flee-hsbc-chinese-investment-banks-hong-kong" target="_blank">along with a few stockbroker pals</a>), Leung’s interjection
indicates he still isn’t <i>au fait </i>with
RG’s corporate culture. “Look, Yeung,” I
intoned. “The only thing that’s gone soft is the Taipan’s Jade Stem. Address me
like that again and you’ll be cleaning Wah Hing Lane Public Toilet faster than
you can say <i>Diu Nei Lo—</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Joss alive! Perhaps the
man has point? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dismissing Leung with a
wrathful flash of my eyes, I relax and stare out to where Lion Rock used to be.
I say <i>used to be</i>, because thanks to Struan’s latest real estate
development, I can’t see it any more. Logging onto Rothwell-Gornt’s
Intranet page, I realise I haven’t posted anything for four years (four – what an
fornicating unlucky number!). Everything’s been a blur since I upped my intake
of <i>Dalmore Extrajoss. </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But there’s more. Leung’s
words have tripped a switch: my nemesis Ian Dunross is getting married! With
the assistance of my sylphlike secretary, Taeniasis Wong, I locate the invitation
on my desk. The sepia photograph depicts a man at ease. His hand is wrapped
around the waist of a slender blonde, roughly his equal in height. He smiles
through his pirate’s beard. The date is this weekend, the location
Buckinghamshire (should I pack my snorkel?).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This, fellow
shareholders, is sterling news. With his eye no longer on the markets -
distracted by wedding preparations and other husbandly duties – now is an
opportune time to strike. Sharpen your chopsticks, for we shall sell him short,
unleash our most belligerent lawyers, and hammer him in the region’s press! Leung was right, what perfect timing to resurrect my weblog; I shall
have the old boy promoted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Now, the eighty-eight thousand dollar
question: will you, Quillan Gornt, sworn blood enemy of Ian Dunross
and the entire Noble House, attend the wedding? – Not in a thousand generations of Brocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Best of
joss,</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Quillan Gornt<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">CEO
and Taipan<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rothwell-Gornt
Holdings</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Quillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-54930704646995684572010-06-03T18:29:00.000-07:002010-06-03T18:54:28.659-07:00Uncovered: PM’s Links to Ignoble HongDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Allow me to first state that I hold little respect for “coalition government” - above all a sign of weakness. What, for example, would Rothwell-Gornt’s esteemed shareholders say to a proposed merger with the loathsome <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Struan’s</a>? <em>Over our dead bodies</em>, one would hope!<br /><br />The bottom line is that if you can’t beat, bribe, extort (or poison) your opposition, you don’t deserve to be Taipan - and in failing to achieve any of these, Mr Cameron made an unrecoverable mistake. Indeed within a local context (<em>Hong Kong Rules</em>), he simply would not have been able to succeed.<br /><br />Rather interestingly, the PM did try - and presumably fail - to make it in Hong Kong in the mid-1980s. Indeed, his flaccid leadership style was spotted by the equally impotent Noble House, where for a period of three months he was <a href="http://www.jardines.com/news/pdf/08_vol3.pdf">employed as a <em>Ship Jumper</em></a> (see pg. 37). The position sounds like valuable training for a career in politics.<br /><br />Upon further inspection, the PM’s ties to Struan’s are closer than your Taipan likes to admit. Like Dunross and his irksome predecessors, he also hails from upper crust Scottish ancestry – but more importantly his Great Grandfather was the Director of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Bank_of_India,_Australia_and_China">Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China</a>, a major beneficiary of the opium trade.<br /><br />With Struan’s indirectly helping the PM’s family to become rich, a deplorable and incestuous relationship has thus taken shape. It is one that undeniably gives the Noble House the upper hand in government relations. We must therefore remain vigilant - for any movement in the regulatory landscape, any Prime Ministerial visits to the Far East, and any special favours that may ensue.<br /><br />What we do not know is how the Noble House treated the PM over those three months - and this is the deal breaker. Did they teach him to work hard and invest wisely – or did they encourage him to squander his salary and bonus in the bars of Wan Chai or the races of Happy Valley?<br /><br />Of particular interest are some of the Noble House's more unusual traditions. For example, during his own time as a young apprentice, Ian Dunross’ virginity was famously auctioned off at a local glamour club - with the bidding managed by the hong’s own Comprador! Let us hope Mr Cameron was at least treated with greater dignity.<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt<br /></strong>CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-21810091935649452802010-03-23T23:58:00.001-07:002010-03-24T00:05:55.877-07:00The Comprador's CodeDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />During Rothwell-Gornt's 2010 Advisory Council Meeting, held at the Pussy Cat Club (Wanchai branch), ex-Comprador Tiberius Pong tactfully raised an unwelcome issue:<br /><br />"If it is true that flies do not visit an egg which has no crack," he started, "then are we to assume the <a href="http://www.startribune.com/business/88411517.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiacyKUUr">recent reports</a> regarding Taipan Ho are perchance accurate?"<br /><br />In fairness to Pong, he had by this stage imbibed a not inconsiderable volume of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, the PCC's vin de table. The 1982 vintage is a delight, but in rather short supply.<br /><br />I digress. My response was simple: "It was noted in Taipan Ho's statements to international press that there was absolutely no foundation in any suggestion that he is associated with organized crime or triads," I recalled from memory.<br /><br />Emboldened by his drink, the red-faced ex-Comprador pushed on: "Yes Taipan, but as they say, the longer the explanation, the bigger the lie," he mumbled. His head dropped neatly into the lap of a delectable young hostess.<br /><br />The Comprador's Code - a component of Hong Kong Rules - is the issue at stake. "At no stage should one conglomerate gossip about the legality of another's business," it states. And as Tai-pan of one of the more colourful hongs, it is a value I treasure.<br /><br />Indeed, the roots of most hongs are intertwined with activities commonly perceived as reprehensible - this is true even of the glossy (yet loathsome) <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Noble House</a>. But a larger issue is at stake - the odd weapons shipment here, the occasional oversight of a UN trade embargo there - which upstanding Hong Kong citizen cares about such trivialities anyway?<br /><br />It is a great shame ex-Comprador Pong has uncharacteristically not reported to work this week. I would have enjoyed sharing these thoughts with him.<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt<br /></strong>CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-53489673648433938542009-11-28T22:48:00.000-08:002009-11-29T16:41:14.249-08:00The SCMP RespondsDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />My delectable young secretary Ebola Choi recently received the following repsonse from the South China Morning Post:<br /><br /><blockquote>Dear Mr Gornt,<br /><br />... I need to check your name. I am assuming this is a pseudonym, given that Quillan Gornt is a character in the novel Taipan. If so, this letter must run under your real name.<br /><br />Regards,<br />Letters Editor<br /></blockquote><p>Damn and blast this publication. It is more pestilent that the loathsome <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Noble House</a> itself. Along with Dunross, they shall be sold short in tomorrow's trading.<br /><br />Best of seasonal joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell Gornt Holdings</p>Quillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-60691000472364946962009-11-28T22:44:00.000-08:002009-11-28T22:46:55.381-08:00Gornt Writes to the SCMPDear Editor,<br /><br />I have been shocked, distressed and angry in equal measure with the views shared by two fellow expatriates in yesterday’s [today's] letters section. <br /><br />In his letter, (“Cultural Mix”) Mike Brooks remarks in a tone reminiscent of a fallen Tai-pan that the “Hong Kong Chinese way” does not work, that Hong Kong’s international city hallmark vindicates any decision not to learn Chinese, and that Hong Kong’s greatest misfortune was that the British left.<br /><br />Peter Sherwood (“Behind France”), meanwhile, makes an outlandish comparison between Hong Kong and a Pyrenean village following a recent sojourn to the French mountains. He notes that food is cheaper and that the French have superior recycling facilities.<br /><br />While Brooks’ opinions are both antiquated and unseemly, Sherwood’s obscure correlation is completely asinine (I am surprised he didn’t mention air quality!). The solution to what some call “irritable gweilo syndrome” is straightforward - if Hong Kong is no longer good enough for you, you may leave.<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />The PeakQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-41068916893773564702009-07-15T21:17:00.000-07:002009-07-15T21:29:48.717-07:00Rothwell-Gornt To Launch Alternative InvestmentsDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />As I entertained a curious mixture of Hong Kong’s most pecunious, slender, and incorruptible tycoons, elite escorts, and public officials at a “Taipan reception” at <em>Gornt Mansions</em> last night, a number of my esteemed guests inquired as to what I have been doing with my spare time now the Jockey Club has entered the off-season.<br /><br />The answer, of course, is preparing for a successful 2010 season. More specifically, having succumbed to Dunross’ <a href="http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/horse.asp?horseno=C099"><em>Noble Man</em> </a>on more than one occasion, my previous steed - <em>Pilot Fish</em> - has been turned to glue. In keeping with Rothwell-Gornt’s strong record in sustainability, he has been "repackaged" into a composite building material and flogged to a two-bit real estate developer in Guangzhou.<br /><br />As you are aware, Hong Kong’s searing summers are not only too hot for horses, they are also uncomfortable for humans (and Taipans). My usual outdoor activities – such as <a href="http://www.sunseeker.com/">pleasure boating</a>, or sipping Mouton Rothschild on the balcony at <a href="http://www.sevvahk.com/">Sevva</a> – are no longer appropriate in this climate, and instead my Wednesday evenings are now being used to experiment with new options.<br /><br />Indeed, thanks to Hong Kong’s increasingly cosmopolitan society, I have tried my hand at yoga, something called “<a href="http://www.stretchasia.com/">stretch</a>”, and even <a href="http://www.prlog.org/10210667-creation-launches-hip-hop-dance-classes-in-hong-kong-urban-groovz.html">hip-hop dancing</a>. The latter is the perfect excuse to don my tight “Rothwell-Gornt” custom-branded lyrca leggings and pop socks, and prance around to music by <a href="http://www.lilwayne-online.com/">Lil Wayne</a>, who’s not half bad in my view.<br /><br />What is the point of all this, you may ask? Well, fellow shareholders, I spy an investment opportunity. Without giving away my precise business plan, one could, for example, purchase a group of these businesses, bundle them together, launch them on the exchange, and then market them as “alternative assets”. Yoga as an asset class – who would have thought it!<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-28576986552241066182009-06-22T19:06:00.000-07:002009-06-23T03:03:12.170-07:00Happy Birthday, Taipan!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBZQzeggLeW55g0wUsDvA_O4Y8JEuUDh0wP_wxRVg6lvkgbpbS4O4Ln2ItcvqmUcFCh86mV-frT_dm4JaX9Ulpikv14wdT6sjLj_3mFGcl-KZfBThXQ5cdUJWQ1amdLzh_4XKqLbYzU5y/s1600-h/Flying+Cloud.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350341939652892130" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBZQzeggLeW55g0wUsDvA_O4Y8JEuUDh0wP_wxRVg6lvkgbpbS4O4Ln2ItcvqmUcFCh86mV-frT_dm4JaX9Ulpikv14wdT6sjLj_3mFGcl-KZfBThXQ5cdUJWQ1amdLzh_4XKqLbYzU5y/s320/Flying+Cloud.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Exhibit: The Sinking of The Flying Cloud, the Pride of Struans'</span></em><br /><br />Dear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Today marks the birthday of my loathsome, plucky adversary, <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Ian Dunross</a>. As such I would like to convey an especially important, high priority message.<br /><br />During his captaincy of the Noble House, it is well-known that Dunross has scuppered many of my best laid-plans: hostile takeovers have been thwarted; applications to the Board of Stewards at the Jockey Club have been repeatedly declined; and while pained to admit it, the Taipan’s panache, enduring boyish looks, and cocky swagger ensure that he wins with women every time.<br /><br />Annoying as this is, this spirit of competition is of course enshrined within <em>Hong Kong Rules</em>. Indeed, over many years of shenanigans, this has developed into symbiotic relationship whereby I need Dunross, and Dunross needs me. For example, if Dunross perished in a typhoon - like Dirk before him - whose shares would I chose to short-sell as I enjoyed my morning latte? Similarly, if I disappeared in a freak boating accident, whose brakes would Dunross chose to bugger when he throws a dinner party?<br /><br />Testament to the goodwill inherent in Rothwell-Gornt, I should therefore like to take this opportunity to extend an olive branch and wish the Taipan a very happy birthday. In keeping with tradition, the employees of Rothwell-Gornt have once again demonstrated their appreciation by collectively purchasing a rather unique present (kindly forfeiting their annual bonuses in the process). This year they have commissioned a striking oil colour depicting the sinking of the <em>Flying Cloud</em> – one of Struans’ finest ships, lost in a storm a couple of decades ago.<br /><br />I trust the Taipan will find room for this tasteful gift in his boardroom. Again, happy birthday, Taipan – and a pox on you and your lousy firm!<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-31914313820758603542009-05-22T18:58:00.000-07:002009-06-22T19:32:00.508-07:00Taipan Thursday Terminates in TantrumDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />As any player with economies of scale would know, one of the great shortcomings of the Happy Valley Races is that you cannot short-sell your opponent's horse. It is a tactic that would have come in useful at last Thursday's meet.<br /><br /><a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Dunross</a> - now back in Hong Kong - challenged me to "Taipan Thursday" at the races. The parameters were straightforward: HK$20 million in each pot, Hong Kong Rules apply. I simply could not refuse as Dunross' own horse - <a href="http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/horse.asp?horseno=C099">Noble Man</a> - was running in Race 8, no doubt be the decider.<br /><br />Dropsy Wong, my personal assistant, arranged for a car to the races. As a man of the people, I then stood track-side and committed HK$20 million of Rothwell-Gornt's own money, confident in my abilities as a proprietary trader. High above, in the safety of Jockey Club Stewards box, I could see the familiar figure of I.S. Dunross, Taipan of the Noble House, looking down.<br /><br />Betting started in Race 3. Both Dunross and I went in cautiously, with Dunross taking the early spoils - a meagre HK550,000. In Race 4, Dunross spread his bets across no less than six horses - the risk averse investment thesis of Struan's all too apparent. His tactic didn't work, and I evened the tally with a HK$500,000 win.<br /><br />By Race 5, the stakes - and the risks - were getting higher. I opted for an ambitious quinella, which backfired, while the Taipan also had bad luck. We racked up over HK$5 million in losses between us. The turning point came in Race 6 - my losses of HK$400,000 comparing favourably to Dunross' HK$3 million expense. In Race 7 I capitalised on my already strong position with a famous HK$9.65 million win - my best performance this year.<br /><br />As things stood, by Race 8 - our final round - my pot stood at HK$26.75 million, the Taipan's below HK$17 million. Standing on the terrance, Dunross gave me a secret hand sign - "all in Taipan", it said. We committed our remaining stakes. The race was going my way until the final furlong. From the back of the field, Noble Man staged an impressive sprint to take second place, and Dunross had won big. A replay can be <a href="http://www.hkjc.com/english/replay/replay.asp?lang=e&race_date=21/05/2009&race_no=8&speed=500">seen here</a>.<br /><br />The final standings were: Gornt down HK$3.75million, Dunross up HK$5.8 million. My loss shall be disclosed in Rothwell-Gornt's Interim Report as "Miscellaneous Expenses".<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt Holdings<br /><br />PS - If anyone from the Hong Kong Jockey Club is reading, I am still awaiting my invitation to the <a href="http://www.hkjc.com/english/corporate/corp_stewards.asp">Board of Stewards</a>.Quillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-69397765677910576762009-05-07T01:48:00.000-07:002009-05-07T03:14:58.802-07:00Hanoi Hilton for Dunross and Co.Dear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />My sincere apologies for not communicating with you sooner!<br /><br />As you might expect I have been preoccupied, unable to tear myself away from the realtime market data supplied my customised 18 carat gold engraved “Taipan QG” Bloomberg terminal. The Hang Seng, you see, has rallied, restoring my previously undervalued net worth and boosting the market capitalisation of this esteemed firm to pre-crunch levels.<br /><br />As much as I hate to be the one to dampen your euphoric spirits, I must warn you of a potential suspension of trading, and a short-term correction to Rothwell Gornt shares. This action is based on rumours that Ian Dunross will be returning to Hong Kong in coming weeks. The market is already awash with disruptive and false rumours of a Noble House takeover.<br /><br />The purpose of the Taipan’s visit is essentially benign: he is coming for the Annual General Meeting - originally scheduled in Koh Samui - while also spending a few days in Hong Kong. As a practical joke, I have acquired a minority stake in Struan’s in his absence. Using my voting rights, I have changed the location of the AGM from “Koh Samueee” (as the Taipan says), to Hanoi, Vietnam. The Taipan seems to be the last person on earth <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/2009/04/press-release-agm-shareholder-meeting.html">not to know</a> about this.<br /><br />Activism indeed! <a href="http://www.webb-site.com/">David Webb</a> would be proud.<br /><br />In the meantime, I have asked my secretary, the delectable Urethra Chan, to ensure that the Taipan’s flights are changed accordingly – that he flies economy class from Hong Kong to Hanoi in accordance with Noble House regulations (less than 3 hours for business) – and that he be delivered a gluten intolerant vegan lacto-ovo meal during the journey. In Hong Kong, I have kindly offered to pay for his accomodation in a suite at the <a href="http://thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=14104&icid=3&d_str=20090507">Metropark Hotel</a>, Wan Chai.<br /><br />See you in Hanoi, Dunross!<br /><br />Best of bull market joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt<br /></strong>CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-66547137927556732452009-04-16T13:33:00.001-07:002009-04-16T14:43:54.931-07:00Gornt Does AmsterdamDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Your <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Taipan</span> has spent the past few days in Amsterdam. By coincidence, I am not the only owner of a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Hong</span> Kong weblog to be in this fine city - <a href="http://lolainhongkong.blogspot.com/">Lola Voyages <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Entreprises</span></a> has also been spending a few days in the <em>Venice of the North</em>. Sadly we did not spend it together. Had I known earlier, I would have invited her for a cruise along the canals aboard my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sunseeker</span>. It is a trip that few young ladies can refuse!<br /><br />Now to business. I am afraid to report that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Rothwell</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Gornt's</span> most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">loathsome</span> competitor, "<em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Struan's</span></em>" - also known as <em><a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">the Noble House</a> - </em>has developed a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sizeable</span> and rapidly expanding business empire in Europe's lowlands. Their brand is ubiquitous - from XXX titles which I noticed whilst strolling innocently around Amsterdam's Red Light District (<em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Knoble</span> Knobs</em>, <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Stuan's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Shemales</span> III</em>, <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Struan's</span> Strap-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">ons</span></em>, and so on) - to quaint side streets as far away as the Hague.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0WxpGxgnhSr-G6w0YOIYJpHBL257fQXIXpbYc-SoL36depMTrpnsxNVcE7ItxVEdkGEGOON17jk5Laa85S1qZgNf9WJOmSuyQWTN874_KYcOYfx22pjVA6B6dDCPy9NCbyfsKdtbVtIY/s1600-h/IMG_4107.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325395517820806050" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0WxpGxgnhSr-G6w0YOIYJpHBL257fQXIXpbYc-SoL36depMTrpnsxNVcE7ItxVEdkGEGOON17jk5Laa85S1qZgNf9WJOmSuyQWTN874_KYcOYfx22pjVA6B6dDCPy9NCbyfsKdtbVtIY/s320/IMG_4107.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It may come as no surprise that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Dunross</span> has also invested heavily in Amsterdam's "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">coffee shops</span>". The margins for legal recreational drugs may not be as lucrative as those of opium in the days of Dirk <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Struan</span> and Tyler Brock - but they still seem interesting enough for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Taipan</span> to be involved.<br /><br />While <em>the Noble House's</em> relative strength in this market is of some concern, we can take heart that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Dunross</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">appears</span> to have been heavily affected by Holland's liberal attitude to both drugs and sex. His new look seems unlikely to inspire great confidence amongst Europe's business elite.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCanezKsvN9dVNiQUWLaUrt-UmnXQo8DM_91tZ8ivNnrs1PZ2cqu27ALjrsvQ6pC-BZnk_v5Dp6yC5EFqbv70337GxR1o2VF1iAhJxhzVAgMUpurOysFDb9q-CFaTaEsqEnpiyAEeTP9vI/s1600-h/brosnan.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325400107998343874" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 183px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCanezKsvN9dVNiQUWLaUrt-UmnXQo8DM_91tZ8ivNnrs1PZ2cqu27ALjrsvQ6pC-BZnk_v5Dp6yC5EFqbv70337GxR1o2VF1iAhJxhzVAgMUpurOysFDb9q-CFaTaEsqEnpiyAEeTP9vI/s320/brosnan.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Best of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">joss</span>,<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Quillan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Gornt</span></strong><br /><strong>CEO & <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Taipan</span></strong><br /><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Rothwell</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Gornt</span> Holdings</strong>Quillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-88440885496106692232009-03-02T00:49:00.000-08:002009-03-02T01:16:21.723-08:00Rats and Rabbits! – Plot Perdu at Paris AuctionDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpryNMqlP0Bt3MS3vu3mFNzKa06aj_nalwVKfdXhS7BWOuu1EV02LYZXAo5PQzOeVOJaEFN2sm7cqa1HVsvNhrlMrXqh3duomDL_kDFUbxw80a4rWekoC_de9H3ICcOYzBldn6kGh-P9n5/s1600-h/rat+rabbit.jpg"></a><br />My failure to secure the winning bid for the Chinese “Rat and Rabbit” bronze sculptures at the <em><a href="http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/searchresults.aspx?intSaleID=22294#action=refine&intSaleID=22294&sid=cf4cf19b-abd7-49de-bc6a-9fbf37f0f5ab">Collection Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Berge</a></em> auction in Paris last week has left me feeling rather deflated. <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZGNK60ifDxiR1iiOfPUJaFx15MC314XSlQZ-TGQ0YSw07EC5sVcPlUq97q0sSamqn5CgcH7OBZb095oniny76T7aYTI89cKLVktVukN-f8hJU-Wv0xUj2rHvLxi2QX3BOVP6N7BDI6Or/s1600-h/rat+rabbit.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308513845106890418" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 167px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ZGNK60ifDxiR1iiOfPUJaFx15MC314XSlQZ-TGQ0YSw07EC5sVcPlUq97q0sSamqn5CgcH7OBZb095oniny76T7aYTI89cKLVktVukN-f8hJU-Wv0xUj2rHvLxi2QX3BOVP6N7BDI6Or/s320/rat+rabbit.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p>At first, my esteemed shareholders, I was red with rage! The very moment that Cai Mingchao’s combined 31.5 million euro offer was accepted, I leapt from my chair, and flung my Collector’s Guide across the auction hall - narrowly missing <a href="http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=salesummary&intObjectID=5157346&sid=3f2715b5-17e0-476a-b07d-d66d5f0f706f">delicate Lot 21</a>. I then burst out of Christie’s and stomped furiously down <em>Av. Matignon</em>, where I found a small café in which to drown my sorrows.<br /><br />Several bottles of vin du jour later, I found myself staggering drunkenly around Paris’ huitième arrondissement. Eventually I managed to regain my senses and return my suite at the Ritz – but not until after being cautioned by a gendarme for urinating at the intersection of <em>Av. Franklin D. Roosevelt</em> and <em>Av. Des Champs-Elysees.</em><br /><br />Regrettably that anger has now transcended into a deep depression - you see I had flown from Hong Kong with the sole intention of acquiring these works of art. Indeed, my eyes had been trained on the two treasures for some time - the Rat (for all its rodent and vermin-like qualities) reminds me of <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Ian Dunross</a>, while the Rabbit has strangely Gorntian features.<br /><br />They were to be placed in Rothwell-Gornt’s Boardroom – a stark reminder of the bitter struggle between Hong Kong’s two greatest conglomerates. Instead, their future now hangs in the balance, having been “bought” by an <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7918128.stm">undercover agent</a> of the Chinese National Treasures Fund.<br /><br />I don’t think I have felt this depressed since my failed takeover of Struan’s in the mid-1980s. But at least I wasn’t outbid by Dunross. Now that would have been unbearable!</p><p>Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt<br /></strong>CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt Holdings</p>Quillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-53258831864703313912009-02-17T17:52:00.000-08:002009-02-17T18:40:02.228-08:00Rothwell Gornt’s 2009 Investment Strategy: Real Estate, Real Estate, Real EstateDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Rothwell-Gornt is pleased to announce to 2009 investment strategy. Steering clear of equities and fixed income products (particularly minibonds) – hallmarks of recent years – I am delighted to announce that the firm will embark upon a more traditional yet equally profitably route: Real estate.<br /><br />Our investment thesis is that property prices have declined dramatically in recent months, representing a good buying opportunity. Properties on the Peak, in particular, declined some 41% in the final quarter of 2009 - “the biggest on record in Hong Kong’s luxury property market,” <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clavell#Peter_Marlowe">Peter Marlowe</a> writes in the <em>Taipan Times </em>(yes - he's still on the go!).<br /><br />Symbolic of our ambitions in this sector, I plan to kick-start the investment programme with an audacious hostile takeover of one of Hong Kong’s most prestigious addresses – the <em>Noble House Peak Mansion</em>. The property has been sitting idle ever since <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">the Tai-Pan</a> left for Holland. With Dunross still distracted by nano-scale petrochemical deals, the timing for a trophy takeover may never have been better.<br /><br />Right, time for an<em> Extrajoss Cola</em> – I feel my melamine levels reaching dangerously low levels.<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />Taipan and CEO<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-30126083751869195572009-02-07T22:49:00.000-08:002009-02-07T23:27:20.063-08:00Extrajoss: Coming To a Store Near You!Dear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />I am delighted to inform you of the successful launch of the latest product offering in Rothwell-Gornt's consumer beverage line - <em>Extrajoss Cola. </em>So excited was I about this new product that I named it myself!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300321935272593010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGNvzvunNyuZty4YSujQ-ypruqPxkxLBQgA2P69NSXWU3g2DrwOcIpJE_NEVEVNT8Y5n2LaIneMPO6i2sQ5Mq2kpcheyOomVyI9RBnBTe2JlKXYKDVtkLAnqVfJ0Y2NeR3fl4jWGpKByw/s320/CIMG2456.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />More than a mere melamine delivery vehicle, <em>Extrajoss Cola</em> provides the rich pungent taste of durian puree, combined with artificially sweetened carbonated water, and comes in a number of different and alarming colours.<br /><br />Part of the experience is the <em>Extrajoss</em> container itself: Underneath the ring pull of any given can are marked the words "Good Joss!" or "Bad Joss!", giving the purchaser some indication as to how his or her day will go.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgUI-6qeDzRKUEO7ySrP4I2ySDcRC9nGx9vQMZbZNFXgpYbnZeiZ1NhKvCUK90vov7BlBNuWtm9tCUYRdaS9XF8tcOGbgkJkCiRy3U2dwnN4Vh1Pc2S1JbfUiVvNnBs-Pr3AXJiLsUHCT/s1600-h/CIMG2384.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300321931392750690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgUI-6qeDzRKUEO7ySrP4I2ySDcRC9nGx9vQMZbZNFXgpYbnZeiZ1NhKvCUK90vov7BlBNuWtm9tCUYRdaS9XF8tcOGbgkJkCiRy3U2dwnN4Vh1Pc2S1JbfUiVvNnBs-Pr3AXJiLsUHCT/s320/CIMG2384.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The product is currently on trial across select locations in Southeast Asia before a potential global roll out. I expect <em>Extrajoss </em>to deliver a significant blow to the sales of the ubiquitous (yet comparatively tasteless) <em><a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Struan's Cola</a>.</em><br /><br />Wishing you <em>Extrajoss,</em><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-44399430481939780112009-02-05T23:14:00.001-08:002009-02-05T23:42:17.585-08:00Shareholder Communication Re: Executive Compensation SchemeDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Let it be noted, with all due respect, that the Taipan of Rothwell-Gornt Holdings would not get out of bed for USD 500,000.<br /><br />Best of joss in the Ox,<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-35464963951097736132009-01-20T20:06:00.000-08:002009-01-20T20:14:20.269-08:00A Waning of the Jade Stem: Gornt’s Feng Shui Outlook in the Year of the OxDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />As esteemed members of Hong Kong’s business community, you will no doubt be aware of the importance of Feng Shui. This custom becomes increasingly important as we approach the Year of the Ox.<br /><br />Perhaps the most the endearing feature of Feng Shui is that it touches all Hong Kong-based firms. Its influence extends from global powerhouses and industry leaders, such as <em>Rothwell-Gornt</em>, all the way down to insignificant <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">family-run dai pai dongs</a>.<br /><br />A good Feng Shui advisor is rather hard to find: In past years, no small number of consultants have warned me of “challenging periods” or “rocky patches”, only for their predictions to be incorrect. Ironically, in certain cases their prophecies became self-fulfilling, with consultants disappearing under somewhat mysterious circumstances.<br /><br />But not all consultants are merely full of “hot feng”, and my current advisor speaks Great Truths. In the Year of the Ox, for example, he has forecast that the <em><a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Taipan of the Noble House</a></em> will suffer from a waning of the Jade Stem. It is a serious condition that can only be rectified through regular practice of the <a href="http://www.healingtaomassage.com/#THE_EIGHT_JADE_DRAGON_EXERCISES">Eight Jade Dragon</a> exercises.<br /><br />Happy New Year Taipan! And to my fellow shareholders - Best of joss in the Year of the Ox,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-8429371524126591452009-01-13T18:48:00.000-08:002009-01-13T19:04:52.430-08:00Webb and Williams Taught Lesson by TaipansDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />May the best of New Year joss guide your asset allocations in 2009!<br /><br />As you know, Hong Kong’s Taipan’s are often at each other’s throats: We are constantly vying for business - trying to outbid each at prime land, fine art, and charity auctions (as well as offers for customized <a href="http://www.sunseeker.com/">Sunseekers</a> and <a href="http://www.gulfstream.com/">Gulfstreams</a>). However, just occasionally, an issue emerges which brings us closer together.<br /><br />HKEx’s proposed extended blackout period on director trading is one such issue – even <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Dunross</a> of the Noble House is with me on this one. Richard Williams’ proposal – clearly a disaster for the city’s financial czars – would lead to company directors being unable to trade their own shares for up seven months of the year.<br /><br />As the Exchange has now learned, the collective might of the Taipans, notably their wealth and <em>guanxi</em>, can be rather overwhelming. Needless to say, a few phone calls later (“there’s always Shenzhen, Shanghai, or Dubai”), and after wiring a few transfers to numbered accounts in Singapore, <a href="http://thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=77031&sid=22236642&con_type=3">there are signs</a> that they will renege on this decision.<br /><br />Of course this didn't happen without a duff counter offer (the Exchange desperate to save face). And if quarterly reporting is their wish, then that is what they shall get! In fact this works out rather well – Rothwell-Gornt has a policy of only accepting attractive, fresh, young female accountants from the Big 4 to “handle” its books and reports (and the Taipan).<br /><br />And so, fellow shareholders, company directors shall continue to manage their net worth for 10 months of the year. Williams, <a href="http://www.webb-site.com/">Webb</a> et. al. – may this be a lesson to you!<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quilllan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-46396253310218702272008-12-16T19:30:00.000-08:002009-01-13T19:08:11.650-08:00Gornt’s Global Geiger Counter: Dikshit Calls Party Off, Madoff’s Mad Scheme, and Goldman SucksDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />My recent communications have highlighted the unusual goings-on in and around Hong Kong. Today I should like to share some brief thoughts on the equally bizarre global landscape.<br /><br />Today alone, for example, we have seen “<a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d049482c-cb8f-11dd-ba02-000077b07658.html">Helicopter Ben</a>” lower U.S. interest rates to unprecedented levels; <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d9656faa-cbc4-11dd-ba02-000077b07658.html">Mr. Dikshit</a> plead guilty to the illegal operations of PartyGaming Plc in the U.S.A; and <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/404664ca-cb77-11dd-ba02-000077b07658.html">Goldman Sachs</a> announce their first quarterly loss as a public company. Add to this the USD 50bn Ponzi scheme operated by Bernard “Mad” Madoff, and the global outlook indeed seems rather precarious.<br /><br />My business partners at No. 1 Garden Road are convinced that this spells the end of Corporate America: It represents the end of an empire, the final moments of market fundamentalism, and the death of the American dream, they tell me. The vacuum created by America’s fall from grace will be shortly replaced by the growing influence of the Cock of the East, in their view.<br /><br />And they may well be right. If they are, rest assured that Rothwell-Gornt is uniquely positioned to capture this opportunity. We are a Hong Kong firm through and through. Moreover, through years of relationship building we have unbreakable bonds with key movers and shakers north of Gin Drinker’s Line.<br /><br />Have heard nothing from my rival <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/">Ian Dunross</a> in a while – Perhaps he was a cornerstone investor in Madoff Investments?<br /><br />Best of seasonal joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-8680990786893230532008-12-12T02:07:00.000-08:002008-12-12T02:11:41.931-08:00Sunny Side Up For South China’s Egg SmugglersDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Defined by egg-smuggling, the return of H5N1, taxi disputes, - and the occasional exploding motor bus - it has indeed been a strange week, even by Hong Kong’s high standards.<br /><br />Of these various business opportunities, <a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/395607/1/.html">it was eggs</a> which really caught my eye. Indeed, my back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest the smugglers are making rather enviable margins.<br /><br />I find myself drawing the inevitable comparison with the distinguished heritage of this very firm. Indeed, the art of smuggling eggs and the art of trading opium (now rather less fashionable) are not entirely dissimilar.<br /><br />Many of the key ‘ingredients’ are identical: Strong demand; a technically illicit trade; favourable margins; danger; excitement; strong public sentiment; and powerless government on the edge of decline.<br /><br />Ladies and gentlemen, I take my hat off to China’s egg-smugglers. Like Rothwell-Gornt and Struan’s, they are starting from humble roots. I wish them the best of luck.<br /><br />But if they become too successful I will crush them like ants.<br /><br />Best of seasonal joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-65632957682845494372008-12-09T01:05:00.000-08:002008-12-09T22:28:33.368-08:00Dinglebottom Dangles “Low Hanging” DurianDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Lady Margaret Thatcher may be uglier than the rear end of a Kowloon Motor Bus, but she does know a thing or two about witticisms. And had she been a manager of a distinguished Hong Kong-based trading company, I suspect she <a href="http://www.allgreatquotes.com/stupid_quotes17.shtml">might have</a> said: “Every Taipan needs a Dinglebottom”.<br /><br />Fellow shareholders, Chief Accountant David Dinglebottom (one G, two Ts) – holder of an Advanced CPA with a double concentration in Deferred Tax [IAS 12 and FRS 19] and Implied Volatility – is a Rothwell-Gornt veteran. It was his idea that we should layoff 20% of our workforce before the New Year.<br /><br />Why, I hear you ask? The answer is simple – It means that a New Year bonus pool of rather more Gorntian proportions may now be distributed amongst the more gainfully employed. It is nothing short of a stroke of ethically dubious genius!<br /><br />In other news - Ian Dunross <a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/2008/11/failed-attempt-on-tai-pans-wealth-and.html">has returned</a> from the wilds of East Turkestan in time for Christmas. That is fortunate because I have arranged for Maid Number One to bake a Filipino specialty – a preserved durian Christmas cake - and have it delivered to the Dunross residence.<br /><br />Does Dunross have a Dinglebottom? Well, who knows... That thought probably deserves its very own post.<br /><br />Have a Merry Old Christmas, Taipan!<br /><br />Best of seasonal joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-90522990575170802862008-11-26T17:23:00.000-08:002008-11-26T17:33:35.884-08:00Taipan Or Not Taipan, That is the Question!Dear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />The term “Taipan” is used liberally across Hong Kong – From the mahogany-finished corporate boardrooms of Central, to the less salubrious backstreets of Sham Shui Po. But what does it actually mean, and who is worthy of being labeled Taipan?<br /><br />Here are a few rules of thumb: It means “supreme leader”; it applies only to the upper echelon of Hong Kong’s business community; there may only be one Taipan per company; they must be prominent members of society; they must be financially independent; and they must be in constant competition.<br /><br />With that in mind, here are a few case studies on its usage (from the Standard):<br /><br /><strong><em>1. “Sheldon Anderson – the taipan of Las Vegas Sands Corp who has been hit hard by the credit crunch…”</em></strong> <a href="http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=74266&sid=21438279&con_type=1&d_str=20081113&sear_year=2008">13th November, 2008</a>.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">INCORRECT:</span></strong> Las Vegas Sands is NOT a Hong Kong-based company, therefore he cannot be a Taipan.<br /><br /><strong><em>2. “… to select a successor for former party taipan James Tien Pei-chun...”</em></strong> <a href="http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=72492&sid=20873084&con_type=1&d_str=20081006&sear_year=2008">6th October, 2008</a>.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">INCORRECT:</span></strong> You cannot be Taipan of a political party.<br /><br /><strong><em>3. “Taipan Albert Cheng has finally got the ExCo green light to set up his radio station…”</em></strong> <a href="http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=68369&sid=19704410&con_type=1&d_str=20080710&sear_year=2008">10th July, 2008</a>.<br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">INCORRECT:</span></strong> It may be his nickname, but radio man Albert Cheng is NOT a Taipan.<br /><br /><strong><em>4. “Of the show of confidence by the Cheung Kong taipan, [David] Li said…”</em></strong> <a href="http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=72240&sid=20747939&con_type=3&d_str=20080926&sear_year=2008">26th September, 2008</a>.<br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">CORRECT:</span></strong> Cheung Kong boss Li Ka-shing is a Taipan – one of Hong Kong’s most prominent.<br /><br /><strong><em>5. “Swire Pacific taipan Christopher Pratt received HK$15.41 million compensation…”</em></strong> <a href="http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=21&art_id=64129&sid=18413728&con_type=1&d_str=20080409&sear_year=2008">9th April, 2008</a>.<br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">CORRECT:</span></strong> The leader of Swire Pacific is by default a Taipan.<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-48202424020753837202008-11-24T23:07:00.000-08:002008-11-24T23:16:29.871-08:00Corporate Social Resposibility? More Like Community Sincerity Reduction!Dear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />As the Taipan of Hong Kong’s most distinguished trading house, I am frequently asked why my company spurns opportunities to participate in CSR programmes. My answer is as follows.<br /><br />If a company engages in CSR it does so for two reasons. It is: (1) making hideous amounts of money; (2) ashamed of how it has aggregated this largesse. CSR is then engaged as a means of disconnecting points (1) and (2).<br /><br />Now recall from your memories some of the highest profile CSR programmes in Hong Kong. Undoubtedly, Standard Chartered’s sponsorship of the <a href="http://www.standardchartered.com.hk/sustainability/local_community_initiatives/standard_chartered_hk_marathon/en/index.html">Hong Kong Marathon</a> springs to mind. You may also recall Cathay Pacific’s <a href="http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/aboutus/flygreener">carbon offsets</a> – or their <a href="http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/aboutus/community/environmental">Asian Waterbird Conservation</a> Fund. The CSR smokescreen is ineffective in both cases.<br /><br />Everyone knows that the average Standard Chartered banker would never break sweat (unless they were late for a client meeting with a Taipan). Similarly, Cathay’s offsets are largely insignificant against a fleet of 747s which inject tonnes of CO2 into the stratosphere on a daily basis – and kill birds through a phenomenon known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_strike">bird strike</a>.<br /><br />Shareholders, fear not - Gornt is not going soft! Your Taipan merely wishes to highlight the lack of sincerity that lurks uncomfortably behind such campaigns. On the contrary, Rothwell-Gornt seeks to be honest with the community – “We are getting rich - it is <em>glorious</em>, and we are proud of it!”<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-83309814805802759092008-11-17T02:08:00.000-08:002008-11-17T02:19:30.148-08:00Fishing for Value in Hong Kong's Murky WatersDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />I am informed by Rothwell-Gornt’s Head of Research that Hong Kong has officially slipped into recession. This is indeed beastly news for many of our finest, most ruthful, and opportunistic companies.<br /><br />The downturn has already had an impact on some of our less prepared corporations: ATV Limited has sacked 47 staff; Lane Crawford, have fired 10% of their employees; and regrettably <a href="http://cantopopped.blogspot.com/">Cantopopped Criminology Labs</a> will be officially closing their doors in less than two weeks.<br /><br />Moreover, in a <a href="http://squidboy323.livejournal.com/18160.html">recent discussion</a> with the Managing Director of Squid Fishing Tours HK Ltd., I discussed my plan to purchase a little known company in the New World named “General Motors”. He does not seem to be much of a fan.<br /><br />Perhaps I will simply make a hostile move on <a href="http://squidboy323.livejournal.com/">Squid Fishing Tours HK Ltd.</a> instead? I shall run this idea past the <em>Board of Directors</em>. Fellow CEO blogger <a href="http://www.edelman.com/speak_up/blog/archives/2008/10/hbs_at_100.html#comments">Richard Edelman</a>, at least, should be on my side.<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-40557499986198379852008-11-13T17:09:00.000-08:002008-11-13T19:04:07.243-08:00What "They" SaidDear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />It has been rather an uphill battle for Rothwell Gornt's new Head of Media Relations. Here are what a few leading publications have recently said about your Taipan, Quillan Gornt:<br /><br />"A nasty piece of work..." --<em> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/A%20nasty%20piece%20of%20work...">Barnes and Noble</a></em><br />"As shady as Dunross is honorable..." <em>-- <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE1D61638F930A35756C0A967948260">New York Times</a></em><br />"The evil Taipan..." <em>-- <a href="http://www.feer.com/tales/?m=200806">Far Eastern Economic Review</a></em><br />"A dodgy Pavarotti lookalike..." <em>-- <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.financeasia.com/">FinanceAsia</a></em><br />"Sublimely named... a complex antagonist..." -- <em><a href="http://doubleosection.blogspot.com/2008/08/dvd-review-noble-house-1988-when-pierce.html">Doubleosection</a></em><br /><em></em><br />Now to business!<br /><br />This weekend shall be spent aboard the <a href="http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/29500/">Sunseeker 105</a>, as I consider a hostile takeover of a relatively small American outfit named "General Motors". The current valuation really is rather attractive.<br /><br />Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt HoldingsQuillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4168712679617103109.post-42134438033802738222008-11-10T17:32:00.000-08:002008-11-10T17:44:52.784-08:00Ex-Taipan Accused of Jockey Club Scam - But Hong Kong Rules Should Apply<p><span style="font-family:georgia;">Dear Fellow Shareholders,<br /><br />Today’s breakfast glass of Dom Perignon at Gornt Mansions was made all the more pleasant as I glanced at the </span><a href="http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=df43e46f3178d110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=Hong+Kong&s=News"><span style="font-family:georgia;">cover story</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> in today’s South China Morning Post: </span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong><em>“Ex-Taipan Accused of Jockey Club Scam.”<br /></em></strong><br />Naturally, my initial reaction was that story related to </span><a href="http://thetai-pan.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Ian Dunross</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, CEO of the Noble House – he is after all a waning “ex-Taipan”. However, the story relates to Jardine’s, a company closely associated to Struan’s – and more specifically their former comprador John Hung.<br /><br />Having fully considered the charges placed by the </span><a href="http://cantopop.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Independent Commission Against Cantopop</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> (ICAC) against John Hung, I now feel some sympathy for the man. After all, when it comes to the Happy Valley races, one must do what one must to stay ahead – Remember, this is Hong Kong!<br /><br />For example, which Jockey Club steward can honestly say they have not been involved in rigging a bet, drugging a competitor’s horse, running an underground betting syndicate, or carefully ‘managing’ the odds? Such activities are rife – but also necessary under “Hong Kong rules”. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:georgia;">Best of joss,<br /><br /><strong>Quillan Gornt</strong><br />CEO and Taipan<br />Rothwell-Gornt Holdings<br />----------------------------<br /><br /><strong>Ex-Taipan Accused of Jockey Club Scam – SCMP</strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>“The former taipan of one of Hong Kong's most prominent companies is among four people arrested and charged by the Independent Commission Against Cantopop (ICAC) over alleged bribery and deception in relation to applications for membership of the Hong Kong Jockey Club…<br /><br />… A holder of the Silver Bauhinia Star, [John Terence] Hung is a descendant of M. C. Hung, the last comprador of Jardine's, the former British hong, or trading company. He had a 34-year career with Wharf and Wheelock, running several subsidiaries before taking over the top job….”</em> </span></p>Quillan Gornthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08089876012137447774noreply@blogger.com1