The Tyrant Billionaire

Among these were some special companies that the French government had confiscated after the war and were now directly selling.

The industries France offered for investment included oil, banking, steel, automobiles, machine tools, tobacco, insurance, liquefied gas, construction, aviation, and shipping.

Wells Fargo was planning to acquire a bank in France as part of its European expansion strategy. Hardy, on the other hand, instructed Andy to reach out to the shipping companies on the list to explore the possibility of investing in French shipping.

Hardy had already made up his mind.

He knew that shipping would be a crucial industry in the future. With resources already at his disposal, Hardy had established shipping companies in the U.S. England, and Italy. If he could acquire more shipping companies in other countries, he could eventually form a global super shipping conglomerate.

Of course, he didn\'t forget about acquiring luxury brands either.

These investments were smaller but paved the way for future opportunities.

Hardy approached French Ministry of Commerce officials with the same request he had made in Italy: Hardy Group wanted to invest in France\'s luxury goods industry. The French officials could only provide the names of companies on the list, advising Hardy to handle any other investments on his own.

The level of service was far inferior to what he had experienced in Italy.

Hardy then contacted the head of the French branch of Global Times and instructed him to place advertisements in French newspapers, stating that the American investment delegation, led by Hardy Group, was interested in investing in the luxury goods industry. Those interested could register with the French branch of Global Times.

France had many fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Cartier, Lancôme, L\'Oréal, Lacoste, Dior, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Boucheron.

During the German occupation in World War II, the French fashion industry experienced a severe downturn. Countless brands were either forced to shut down or had their assets relocated to Vienna. A few highly valuable luxury brands were preserved, but their management was taken over by Germans, with all profits going to Germany.

Even fashion design programs in various academies had German instructors imposing ideological corrections.

Of course, some brands chose to collaborate.

Some of these brands were later dealt with by the French government, while others managed to escape punishment but continued to struggle.

Shortly after the advertisement was released, Global Times received numerous inquiries.

The first to come forward was Christian Dior. Hardy immediately recognized the name.

Christian Dior was quite tall, standing slightly above Hardy, who was over six feet tall. The slightly balding middle aged man bent over slightly, wearing a big smile as he extended both hands to shake Hardy\'s hand.

"Mr. Hardy, it\'s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Christian Dior. I am a designer, and I have opened a fashion store under my name. I hope to secure your investment," Dior said respectfully.

Before the war, Dior was just a tailor. During the occupation, he did quite well, making clothes for the Germans, which almost led to his downfall after the war. This experience left him nervous and cautious. When he saw Hardy\'s investment advertisement, he immediately had an idea.

He wanted to attach himself to a powerful ally to ensure his survival.

At that time, France\'s purging activities were not yet complete, and Dior feared that the situation might worsen and that he would be targeted again. The last thing he wanted was to end up in a labor camp.

The American investment in Europe was widely known, with Hardy Group being one of the investors. Dior knew of Hardy\'s background and was eager to forge a connection with him. If he had Hardy\'s backing, he would no longer have to live in constant fear.

"I understand, Mr. Dior. I am interested in investing in your company. Let\'s discuss the details. How much capital do you need?" Hardy asked.

"I need 10 million francs," Dior replied cautiously.

Hardy quickly calculated in his mind that 10 million francs was equivalent to about $300,000. This was not a large sum for Hardy, and it was very much within his ability to invest.

"I will provide the funds, Mr. Dior. However, I want 65% of the shares in your company. You will be responsible for all design and production," Hardy said.

Dior\'s still wanted to keep the majority shares in his hand but honestly the choice wasn\'t his.

Dior quickly composed himself. He had no other choice. If he didn\'t get the money and some protection, he wouldn\'t even have the opportunity to continue his work. After a brief moment of hesitation, Dior nodded.

Hardy invested $500,000 to establish the Dior company, taking a 65% stake, while Dior contributed his Paris store and management expertise for the remaining 35%. Dior would operate in both France and the U.S., and when it expanded into America, Hardy promised significant media support.

Christian Dior left with excitement after their meeting.

Soon after, Hardy acquired a portion of Lancôme\'s shares. Lancôme had struggled during World War II, halting production entirely. After the war, they hadn\'t yet recovered and were looking for investors, so Hardy obtained a 15% stake.

As for L\'Oréal, it had also halted production because its owner had been arrested for assisting the Germans during the war.

Then there was Chanel. Several of their stores remained closed, with rumors circulating that Coco Chanel had been closely involved with the Germans during the war. Now, Mrs. Coco had fled to Switzerland.

Hardy had sent letters to all of L\'Oréal\'s shareholders and Mrs. Coco Chanel, expressing Hardy Group\'s interest in purchasing some of their shares if they were willing to sell.

At the end of the day, it was all about survival.