Arc 15Henglong’s Investment Push
Zhao Chen secured Henglong’s investment in Bubble Mary, expanded into US stocks, and directed the company’s financial and operational plans. After Tesla plunged and Era Vanguard’s losses mounted, he held onto its shares and turned his attention back to Henglong’s other business.
- Zhao Chen negotiated a Bubble Mary investment, winning agreement to buy 5% through a private placement and pursue willing shareholders’ shares at a premium.
- Zhao Chen sent Chen Xi to secure Labobo’s exclusive global license, while Zhang Zhendong publicly criticized Henglong’s Bubble Mary deal and entrepreneurs rallied behind Zhao Chen’s approach.
- Zhao Chen reviewed Henglong’s 2017 finances, paid employees a special bonus after the debt-to-asset ratio fell below 50%, and set a lower debt target for 2018.
- Henglong’s board approved spending up to 200 million RMB on Bubble Mary shares, and Zhao Chen assigned representatives to the company’s board and observer seat.
- Zhao Chen directed his team to invest billions of dollars in Tesla, Apple, and Treasury bonds, then used Tesla call options and share purchases to build Era Vanguard’s position.
- After ChainAnalysis linked Era Vanguard’s funds to a Bitcoin sale, Tesla fell and Zhao Chen bought more shares, taking the common-stock position to nine million shares.
- Zhao Chen ordered the sale of all Tesla call options at a loss but kept all nine million shares as the stock continued to fall.
- Zhao Chen refused to buy or sell Tesla shares, told Chen Xi to continue Henglong’s other work, and resolved to stop watching Tesla’s price.