In Money Machine: A Trailblazing American Venture in China, Weijian Shan delivers a compelling account of one of the most significant deals in private equity history: the first and only foreign acquisition of control of a Chinese national bank. Money Machine is the fascinating inside story of the transaction as told by the man who led it, from the intrigues of dealmaking to the complex and uncharted process of securing control by a foreign investor of a Chinese nationwide financial institution, a feat that had never before been attempted, nor has it been repeated.
Shan also describes the astonishingly successful turnaround of the institution under the control of the American firm: the clash of cultures, the growth to strength and profitability, and ultimately, the extraordinarily profitable exit from the investment. In the process, he reveals new insights into how finance operates in China’s capital system and how private equity firms can add real value to companies. Readers will also find: - A peek behind the curtain of a process usually shrouded in secrecy: private equity dealmaking and moneymaking - The complex negotiations between American private equity executives and Chinese regulators to implement a series of unprecedented changes - The riveting details of the challenges that had to be overcome to return the bank to growth and profitability
An exceptional firsthand account of truly singular deal-making and money-making, Money Machine will be of interest to investment bankers, investors, financial analysts and anyone who appreciates a suspenseful, true-life story.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Frank Newman: An Extraordinary Journey xi
A Note from the Author xiii
Part I Courtship 1
Chapter 1 An Unexpected Question 3
Chapter 2 A License to Print Money 11
Chapter 3 The Craft of Private Equity 19
Chapter 4 A Special Time and Place 29
Chapter 5 Dancing with the Wolves 41
Chapter 6 Rolling Faster 55
Part II Fight 73
Chapter 7 Tug of War 75
Chapter 8 Behind the Scenes 85
Chapter 9 Roller Coaster 97
Chapter 10 Transition to Nowhere 107
Chapter 11 “Nut Case” 117
Chapter 12 Untying the Knot 127
Part III Transformation 141
Chapter 13 Making History 143
Chapter 14 Righting the Ship 153
Chapter 15 Bank Repairman 169
Chapter 16 Game of Chicken 185
Chapter 17 Window of Opportunity 193
Chapter 18 Mariana Trench to Mount Everest 205
Part IV Exit 215
Chapter 19 Coveted Prize 217
Chapter 20 Flavor of the Day 227
Chapter 21 Financial Tsunami 237
Chapter 22 Stars Align 251
Chapter 23 Turning Point 265
Chapter 24 A Deal That Shakes 277
Epilogue The Kingdom of Freedom 293
Acknowledgments 301
About the Author 303
Index 305