na Tele one was guided by Thornton himself in 1997。
As the international business of Goldman Sachs developed； Thornton also came closer and closer to the peak position in the pany。 On March 1999； Thornton became the President of Goldman Sachs。 On May of the same year； he was appointed as the United Chief Operative Officer。 Just like that； Thornton； along with John Thain； another United Chief Operative Officer of Goldman Sachs became the second most important figure in the pany who seconded to none but Henry Boson the CEO of Goldman Sachs。
‘Thornton is a figure with the sharpest international consciousness in investment bank area’； mented Fang Fenglei； the Executive President of EastAsia Industrial mercial； who had worked with Thornton for many times。 While in the eyes of his colleagues； Thornton is a charismatic leader。 ‘Thornton is very smart person。 He has such an amazing ability that he could reach the core of the problem in a very short time and bring forward the resolution scheme in a very concise way’； Zhang Lihong； the Vice Board Chairman of German Bank in AsiaPacific Region； and former Chief Representative of Goldman Sachs in Beijing Agency。 She added；‘I think the position that suit him best is the position of American President。’
Saving Vodafone
Many people maintained that one of the reasons why John Thornton could achieve such a big success in Britain was that he spared no efforts to establish personal relations with wellknown leaders。 One of the best examples of this happened in 1988 when John Thornton noticed some special points in a British electronic pany called Racal Group。
On the surface； there were nothing special in the Annual Financial Form on the Balance of Revenue and Expenditure。 What attracted him was the mobile phone subsidiary in the Balance Form。 This was a smallscale pany whose asset only consists of twenty percent of the total assets of the Group。 John Thornton recalled；‘At that time； some local panies in America were doing mobile phone business as well。 And those panies were all suffering losses。 However； the market value of several listed panies was overestimated because people at that time still believed that the mobile phone business was doomed to have a bright future。 To my surprise； I found that the mobile phone subsidiary affiliated to Racal was making profits。 So I concluded that the stock value was in fact underestimated by market； and that it was very possible it would encounter hostile takeover’。
He immediately called the Board Chairman of Racal Group （actually he did not know him at that time）。 It was his secretary that picked up the phone and helped him record his message。 In that afternoon； the Board Chairman called back him。 John Thornton told him： Wed better talk this matter face to face； but by the phone because of its importance and sensibility。 So they arranged to meet in a hotel where John Thornton told the Board Chairman his analysis and offered him a solution。 That is to take out of twenty percent of the Groups stock to let them fluctuate separately as a way to show the market value of the mobile phone subsidiary。 Then； John Thornton provided the formal report to Racal at their request。 The next day； Racal Group implemented the strategy under the advice of John Thornton。
Today； there does not exist such a pany as Racal Group。 But that mobile phone subsidiary evolves into Vodafone； a business tycoon in Britain。 And Goldman Sachs also develops into a leading magnate in investment bank sphere。
After doing so many years business activities in Europe； John Thornton found some similarities between Asia and Europe。 He realized that Asia； especially China had great potential for further development。 In 1994； he asked the Board Chairman of Goldman Sachs whether he could move to Shanghai or not。 But he rebuffed Thorntons request because in his opinion Thornton could have a better career than in Asia。 But Thornton did not lower his interest and attention to Asia。 During this time； he acted as a consultant to assist Li Zekai in selling Star TV to Murdoch； the global media tycoon。
In fact； Murdoch did not have much interest in purchasing Star TV。 And the experts involved also considered that there was little chance for success because Star TV at that time was still suffering losses。 When John Thornton met Murdoch in Los Angeles and London； he seldom touched upon the details on the operation of Star TV。 On the contrary； he talked a lot on the economic development and the market potential of China。 At last； Murdoch agreed to purchase Star TV at the price of 1 billion。 John Thornton and Murdoch bees very good friend since then。 Later Murdochs BskyBs listing in Britain was pleted by John Thornton as well。
Mr。 Thornton arrived at China for the first time in 1993 and worked there for one years time。 During this period； he developed great interest in China。 And five years before when he was still the Chairman of Goldman Sachs in AsiaPacific region； now 49 yearsold John Thornton had already established close munications with many sectors and enterprises in China。
In 2003 when he was the frontrunner in taking over Henry Boson to be the CEO of Goldman Sachs； he suddenly declared he would resign and accept the appointment of Tsinghua University as a guest professor there； which meant that he had to journey to and fro from Beijing and his home in New York。
第二章到清华推动世界（1）
“为什么是清华？” 桑顿说，“两个原因：一个原因是我认识清华，和他们相处融洽；第二我认为清华作为一个培养过很多中国领导人的学校来说，有它特殊的位置。”
放弃高达1120万美元的年薪，到清华大学当一名无薪的教授。高盛前总裁兼首席运营官约翰·桑顿的惊人举动曾令各界哗然。
2003年3月的一个早晨，美国前总统克林顿的经济顾问委员会主席、伦敦经济学院商学院院长劳拉·苔森像往常一样打开当天的英国《金融时报》，一个十分熟悉的名字射入他的眼中，他简直不相信自己的眼睛：华尔街国际投资银行巨擘高盛公司总裁、联合首席运营官约翰·桑顿先生宣布辞职。“退休”后的他将成为北京清华大学经济管理学院的教授并在该院内发起一个名为“全球领袖”的项目。
后来劳拉·苔森告诉约翰·桑顿：“想象一下当我读到今天早上的《金融时报》，发现你已经决定离开高盛去担任清华大学教授时，是多么地吃惊。”
《纽约时报》也对桑顿的决定表示疑义，认为对于桑顿这样大权在身的华尔街经理人来说，中国是不寻常的一招棋。“虽然这个快速增长的经济实体近来已成为一些领先投资银行的主要目标，但它仍然是一个金融体系相对绝缘的发展中国家。”而且评论说，即使是在中国的政府和学界精英圈内，只有少数人说英语，中文一窍不通的桑顿必定处于相对劣势。
约翰·桑顿是高盛集团下任首席执行官热门人选，在这个关键时刻意外宣布辞职，离开这家全球性投资银行兼证券公司，接受中国北京著名的清华大学的邀请担任该校教授，此举必将有助于加强跨国公司同中国未来商界和政界精英之间的联系。
全球领导力Global Leadership 全球领导力Global Leadership 全球领导力桑顿是一位成绩卓著的投资银行家，同全球许多顶尖公司以及福特汽车公司等高盛长期客户建立了密切的关系。
桑顿去年薪酬达1120万美元。桑顿说，他辞职的原因之一是，现年56岁的高盛首席执行官亨利·鲍尔森预计将继续工作至少4年～5年。他说：“我一直知道，有朝一日我将停下手头的工作，去从事一些以公众利益为导向的工作。”桑顿已经在高盛工作了22年，今年将迎来他的50岁生日，此时此刻作出这样的决定“似乎符合时宜”。
鲍尔森称：“我们将十分怀念约翰。他是公司最出色的典范。”
担任清华的教授，约翰·桑顿认为这个决定是符合逻辑的。他说：“我始终有一个理想，就是让自己能够为社会公众作贡献。年轻的时候，我总是认为实现这个理想的最佳办法是进入美国政府；又或者是被总统任命去担任一些重要的职位。现在这依然是实现理想的途径，但不是唯一的途径。我认为现在清华大学所做的，就是目前我所能够选择的最佳途径。因为这里影响到将来，甚至可以说，这里就是将来。”
我们有生之年将遇到的头等大事就是中国的崛起
桑顿这次来清华，将担任清华大学的教授，负责一项旨在培训中国未来精英的大学计划，届时将邀请跨国公司的首席执行官在课堂上同清华大学经济管理学院及公共管理研究生项目的学生分享其商业经验和理念。桑顿说，安排跨国公司首席执行官和中国未来的商界和政界精英汇聚一堂，不仅有助于提高那些监督中国向市场经济转型进程的人士的管理技能，也有助于加强中国同美国以及其他国家之间的相互理解。他�