CHAPTER 62: ROBERT WALTERS

December 26th, 2024.

Robert Walters Philippines Building, BGC.

Timothy and Hana stepped into the elevator, the polished metal doors sliding shut behind them. The hum of the air-conditioning filled the silence as the floor numbers lit up one by one. Hana held her handbag close to her chest, her tablet tucked neatly inside, ready for the meeting.

Timothy leaned against the side panel casually, then glanced at her. "By the way, Hana, since you’ll be spending a lot of time here... have you arranged everything for your stay? You know the Philippines has restrictions. Most tourists can only stay thirty days."

Hana looked up and faced him with a composed look.

"Yes, I handled it before I came. I applied for a special visa through the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. It allows me to stay longer for work-related purposes. I won’t have to worry about leaving after thirty days."

Timothy nodded thoughtfully. "Good. That means you’ve prepared yourself well." He paused, tapping a finger lightly on the chrome railing. "Still, this won’t just be about you. We’ll be working with foreign partners soon—Japan, Korea, even European firms. Their executives and specialists will have to come here too. The last thing I want is for visa restrictions to slow us down."

"That can be handled by the Philippine government so there’s no need to worry about it. But we can only meet them once we finalise the TG Motors subsidiary," Hana coolly explained.

"I wonder how they will react when a Filipino is investing more than 4 billion dollars?"

"It will be on the headline," Hana simply said.

The elevator dinged, interrupting their conversation. They were now in the lobby floor of the building.

They stepped out of the elevator and walked over to the receptionist desk who looked at them pleasingly.

"Good afternoon. How may I help you?" the receptionist asked with a pleasing smile.

"Good afternoon, we have an appointment with Robert Walters. For Seo Hana?" she said.

The receptionist checked the monitor quickly, nodding. "Yes, Mr. Guerrero and Ms. Seo. I have confirmed your appointment. Please take the elevator, the office is located on the thirtieth floor. I’ll be informing the receptionist on that floor for a smooth transition. Someone will be waiting for you upstairs."

"Thank you," Hana said with a small bow of her head.

Timothy gave a short nod before leading the way back toward the elevators. Hana walked beside him.

Inside the second elevator, Timothy pressed the button for the 30th floor. The panel lit up, and the doors slid shut.

"Thirtieth floor," Timothy muttered, leaning slightly against the wall. "They really like the view up there."

Hana gave a faint smile. "High floors always impress clients. It’s part of the image."

Timothy smirked. "Well, I’m not here for the view."

The ride was quick. When the doors opened again, they were met with a brighter lobby, decorated with modern furniture—sleek couches, indoor plants, and framed photos of executives and events. The logo of Robert Walters Philippines was displayed on the glass wall ahead.

Another receptionist, this one younger, approached them with a tablet in hand. "Good afternoon, Mr. Guerrero, Ms. Seo. Mr. Antonio Reyes, our senior consultant, is ready to meet you. Please follow me."

They were guided down a short corridor, the glass walls on either side revealing open workspaces with recruiters busy at their desks, phones pressed to their ears. Eventually, they stopped at a conference room with frosted glass panels.

The receptionist pushed the door open. Inside, a man in his late forties stood up from the head of the table. His suit was sharp, his expression professional but approachable.

"Mr. Guerrero, Ms. Seo," he greeted, extending his hand. "Welcome to Robert Walters. I’m Antonio Reyes, senior consultant. Thank you for making the time today."

Timothy shook his hand firmly, Hana doing the same right after.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Timothy replied.

"Of course," Reyes said with a small smile. "Please, have a seat. Do you want refreshments or anything? This building has a restaurant and a coffee shop that we can call for an order."

"Hmm, in that case, I’m feeling a bit hungry. I’m craving for french fries, would that be okay? Hana, do you want something for yourself?"

"I’m fine thanks," Hana politely declined his offer.

"It’s on us," Reyes assured with a wave of his hand. He glanced at the receptionist still standing by the door. "Please get an order of French fries and an iced tea for Mr. Guerrero."

The receptionist nodded and stepped out, leaving the three of them inside the conference room.

Reyes sat back down. "Please take a seat."

The two of them took their seats.

"Now, before we proceed to business, our customs require fifteen to thirty minutes of chit-chat before we dive into the actual business. Think of it as our KYC—Know Your Client," Reyes explained, his tone light but professional.

Timothy leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. "Fair enough. Go ahead."

Reyes smiled. "First, I have to say, this is my first time having a client of your age. How old are you sir?"

"I’m twenty years old, this lady next to me is twenty-four years old. She works for me as my secretary."

"You have a beautiful secretary, Mr. Guerrero. I thought you two were a couple," Reyes chuckled.

Timothy and Hana were both shook at those words.

"Uhm, she’s not my girlfriend. Our relationship is purely professional," Timothy was the first to clarify.

"Hmm..." Reyes hummed, leaning back slightly with a knowing smile. "Forgive me for the assumption. It’s just that you two look very comfortable around each other."

Hana straightened in her seat, her cheeks faintly red but her voice composed. "It’s as Mr. Guerrero said, strictly professional."

Reyes raised his hands lightly. "Of course, of course. No offense meant. I just like to break the ice. Now—twenty years old. Please tell me about your business."

"I’m the CEO of TG Mobility Holdings Inc. It’s based in Singapore. Our goal is to manufacture mainstream premium electric vehicles that will rival Tesla and BYD and even the old giants like Toyota and other European brands."

Hearing that, Reyes tilted his head to the side. "Wait, am I hearing this right? You plan on competing with the top automotive companies in the world? And you have the product?"

"We do have a product and we will soon tease it once we start constructing our factory in the Philippines."

"Hmm..." Reyes hummed again in thought. He looked up to them and spoke. "So you set up a holding company in Singapore and you plan on making the Philippines the operational headquarters."

"That’s correct," Timothy confirmed.

"I see, I understand why you would do that. A holding company in Singapore would provide you with better access to foreign investors, international credibility, and favorable tax treaties," Reyes explained. "At the same time, having your operations based in the Philippines gives you lower costs, government incentives, and direct access to Southeast Asian labor and resources. A smart move. But an automotive company requires a lot of capital. Is your holding company 100 percent yours?"

"No, I gave small shares to my C-executives. They are seasoned veterans from different countries, one of them is Filipino. She’s my Chief Marketing Officer. They are in Singapore as we speak, preparing their presentation for me."

"I understand. One last thing, you guys are not doing anything illegal right? I mean it’s just odd for me to have a client who is only twenty years old. Not to mention, an automotive company at that."

"Mr. Guerrero is not doing anything illegal. I know this is just a chit-chat but please be respectful towards him as he is our CEO and we can just look for another company that will help us find executives for our subsidiary," Hana chimed in, surprising Timothy and Reyes.

Why was she so worked up? Timothy thought to himself, though she appreciated her standing up for him.

"I apologize, Ms. Seo. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful."

"It’s fine Hana," Timothy said. "I don’t mind it at all. And it’s only natural for them to doubt me. After all, I’m just a twenty-years old college dropout student. But one day, people will forget about it. Because of the legacy I’ll be making."

"Still, Mr. Guerrero," Hana spoke firmly, her eyes steady on him, "you have to remember, you are a CEO. No matter your age, no matter what others say, you carry the weight of this company on your shoulders. You have dignity to protect. If people see doubt in you, they’ll use it against you."

Timothy glanced at her, caught off guard by her tone.

She softened only slightly and continued. "Stand strong, always. Even in casual talk like this. Respect isn’t given, it’s claimed. And as the head of TG Mobility, you can’t afford to appear uncertain."

"I’ll keep that in mind, Ms. Seo," Timothy said.

"Okay, I think that’ll do," Reyes said as he saw the receptionist already approaching them with a tray that has a bowl of fries and a cup of tea on it. "Let’s get down to the real business."