Corporate 101

Weather: Fog
Temperature: 13 c

Again, sorry for not blogging for the past few days. The truth is: finally I have the time to sit before my laptop with a peaceful mind to blog and reflect on my personal lifestyle.

For the past few days, from the perspective of my personal life, it was a disaster. Engtee and I could only communicate over the bed. Please do not think dirty. I do not mean that kind of communication. Every morning, when Engtee was about to leave the apartment, she would wake me up and remind me what had to be done, e.g. pay rental, bank in cash etc. I would listen to her while lying on the bed half-asleep. When I came back after work (usually 10.30pm, sometimes even 1am) Engtee was already in bed, sleeping soundly. She would normally wake up once I opened the bedroom door. Lying on the bed, she will ask me how was my day. I would summarize my one day activity and work while getting prepared for shower. By the time I finished shower, Engtee would be sleeping again. So, the next routine of our communication would start after a few hours of sleep.

This was how we communicated as husband and wife. We only managed to see and talk to each other in bedroom for about few minutes per day. That’s why I called it a disaster. I was being robbed of my personal time. Even weekends were not spared. I had to cancel my karaoke session with my angmo colleague due to work-related reasons.

Like I always say, when G gives me shit, the good stuff is on its way (or already being delivered).

Career wise, I learned a lot of new things during the past few days. I was assigned to a team to handle a Merger and Acquisition (M & A). When the partner approached me whether I was interested to join the team, I told her I knew nothing but I was willing to learn new stuffs. Initially, my role is minimal: basically, reading the offshore documents (which are in English), editing the emails, editing the English reports, drafting emails to client etc. Nothing significant or substantial. I was just a higher level typist cum editor cum secretary.

The deal was not supposed to be sealed until after the New Year. So the partner took a few weeks off to focus on her PHD exam. It was during her absence that the deal was suddenly moving, and was moving at light speed. We were informed by the client that they expected to sign, seal and deliver all the legal documents within 3 days. As for our team, we only have 2 players: a senior associate and me (who knows nothing about sealing a contract the size of Mount Kinabalu).

Of course we were panic. The partner could not come back to help us close the deal because she has to take her exam. She could only advise us by using the remote control, the actual field works would have to be done by us. “Harnniann, you have to play an important role in this deal, including negotiating with the target and their counsel. They speak English! You have to help us.” said the partner.

Can you imagine the pressure on my shoulder for the past few days? It was like asking a monkey from the Amazon to swim in the seas of the Philippines. Drafting contracts was never my cup of tea, and my father could testify that I hated corporate works. Now I was caught in the battle zone. It was either lifting up the weapons and fighting the war or taking off my white colour underwear and surrendering. Am I a quitter in this situation? No way, I told myself. I didn’t fly a few thousand miles to China just to waive my white underwear and quit without a fight.

I must admit that I knew really nothing about M & A. My good friend YB Teng of Sungai Pinang told me that corporate work is about compliance. Well, he was partly right. But at that moment, I would rather be a litigator.

The Chinese say there is opportunity in every crisis. It was this crisis that provided me a platform or opportunity to jump start my learning of corporate stuffs. I was given a crash course on Corporate 101. Without this crisis, it would probably take years before I was given the knife of the surgeon, to be in the co-driver seat.

I am seriously deprived of good quality sleep. I was working until a few minutes ago (the time now is 12.30 midnight). Finally, all the documents have been negotiated, discussed, revised and finalized. They will be signed tomorrow. Once executed, the deal is officially sealed: well within the timeline. Of course, signing the contracts and other documents only marks the beginning of another phase of works. More works are definitely coming. If I can survive this assault, I think I could survive another one.

I am going to sleep now. Shanghai is getting colder by the days. We have to wear socks at home and maybe we have to change our blanket (we bought the cheaper one which was for Summer, oops!).

p/s: Harley, thanks for the update on the Tasik Banding Collapsed Building. Tasik Banding is a nice place to visit. It has nothing else to offer except for the beautiful tasik and scenery. We shall see what will happen to the collapsed building. Tutup kes?