Reinventing the Millennium

Zhang Yaqin is Microsoft's global senior vice president and is also responsible for Microsoft's Asia-Pacific R\u0026D Group. He has also served as the dean of Microsoft Asia Research and is also a member of Gates' think tank.

For such a character, when he had the idea of ​​leaving Microsoft, and when he saw his former colleagues and friends returning to China one after another, he naturally noticed Yike.

Zhang Yaqin has a good relationship with Lu Qi, and they often report to him on work. Within Microsoft, Lu Qi is the EVP and Zhang Yaqin is the CVP. The two sometimes talk about domestic development and the company and cannot avoid Yike.

In his opinion, Yike is a very international company. A group of Chinese scientists engaged in artificial intelligence have gathered in Silicon Valley. They have also invested heavily in various aspects of research and development, and they have more and more technical accumulation and reserves. Just scratched an itch.

Zhang Yaqin once promoted cloud computing within Microsoft, but it has never been taken seriously. After the new CEO took office and started working on Microsoft Cloud, his situation did not change much. He was still responsible for technology incubation and STB (server and development of cloud computing business). Tools Division)'s business in China, but Microsoft Cloud Computing has not invested many resources in China, and is just in a cold start state.

This is inevitably frustrating.

Zhang Yaqin and Lu Qi expressed their thoughts and received sincere recommendations. Moreover, Lu Qi was willing to be the middleman for the introduction. Of course, he was not the kind of middleman who announced the world.

In fact, Zhang Yaqin studied Yike's current management situation and believed that he could provide value. However, given Yike's management and employment style, he still had a backup option. Li Yanhong, the head of Duji, is a fellow from Shanxi, and Yike If that doesn't work, you can go there and talk.

Now that Duji has encountered a problem, he will probably be willing to delegate power.

With such considerations in mind, Zhang Yaqin arrived in Shanghai on January 10 and met Fang Zhuo, the head of Yike. Then, he found that he was still worried about gains and losses.

Yi Ke is obviously the best choice for him to return to China.

"Dr. Zhang, welcome." Fang Zhuo shook hands with the senior vice president of Microsoft in the office with a smile on his face. Because Zhang Yaqin was responsible for the Asia-Pacific work, this kind of meeting was not troublesome.

"I've always looked forward to chatting with Mr. Fang, but I always missed the opportunity." Zhang Yaqin said with a smile, "I finally met Mr. Fang today."

Fang Zhuo poured tea: "There will be many opportunities to meet in the future, Dr. Zhang. To be honest, I usually have a lot of business exchanges and discussions with Mr. Lu. He respects you very much. There are also many people in the company who used to work at Microsoft." Dr. Wang Jian from the hospital and our cloud computing professor also spoke highly of you."

Wang Jian was also at Microsoft Research before. He came to Yike to form a cloud computing team, and he also brought a group of people he was familiar with.

Although it was recommended by Lu Qi, Fang Zhuo couldn't determine the location based on his words. He actually asked a circle of people, and everyone's evaluation was generally good.

As Lu Qi said, Yike's cloud business development requires someone who understands both technology and management. Even Yike's decision-making level also needs such a role.

Fang Zhuo and Yu Hong invited Xu Keden to become Yike's first product manager in Shanghai. He did contribute a lot to the company, but with the depth and breadth of research and development, we have to admit that he is somewhat powerful. No arrest.

Today, Xu Keden is a member of the board of directors of Yike. He spends most of his time in Silicon Valley, mainly maintaining the R\u0026D side. He himself has also talked many times about the need to find a CTO with more outstanding capabilities.

If Zhang Yaqin can get the job done, he will be a candidate for CTO.

"Dr. Wang has always been a very strong-willed person. If he hadn't been like this, he wouldn't have been able to achieve the level of cloud computing at Yike." Zhang Yaqin said with emotion.

"We have put a lot of effort into cloud computing, but there are still some... to be honest, there are still some gaps between us and Amazon and Microsoft." Fang Zhuo quoted Wang Jian's recent evaluation.

Yike was the first to start in China, but Amazon was earlier, and Microsoft's technology research and development and team were also strong enough. Throughout last year, Microsoft Cloud was trying to challenge Amazon.

"The domestic market is huge, and Yike has chosen the direction of entering Europe. This strategy is very strategic." Zhang Yaqin praised it and said, "However, when the U.S. market is stable, both Amazon and Microsoft will continue to compete for the European market. , Yike will inevitably have to fight hand-to-hand. In order to compete in the future, Yike must not only invest on its own, but also cultivate relevant domestic talents."

Fang Zhuo feels that this doctor is worthy of being engaged in technology incubation and talent training at Microsoft. This has become inertia.

He retained his own opinions, and there was definitely nothing wrong with talent cultivation, but talking about this in the first meeting, well, this meeting was not just a small talk, it was also about checking each other out. Company executives sometimes need to clarify strategic priorities.

Fang Zhuo is not very superstitious about talents from large companies. When recruiting people from outside, in addition to those who are of a pioneering nature, they must also consider whether they are suitable for Yike.

He smiled and chatted for a few more words, and said: "Yike is currently short of people in two directions. One is the development of our cloud business in Europe, and the other is our research and development in artificial intelligence. If Dr. Zhang comes over, , which one do you prefer?"

Both directions require talents who understand both technology and management.

Zhang Yaqin pondered for a moment and said, "Mr. Fang, I want both, can't I?"

Fang Zhuo was stunned, laughed loudly, stood up and said: "Okay, it's not impossible, but we need to talk about it. Let's go to the conference room, Dr. Wang Jian, Professor Ng Enda, Xu Keden, Mr. Xu, and Qi Heqi Anyway, they are all waiting to see Dr. Zhang.”

This is Wang Jian who represents the cloud business, Ng Enda from artificial intelligence, Xu Keden from Yike R\u0026D system, and Qi He from the market. They will give their opinions individually after discussing with Zhang Yaqin.

Zhang Yaqin nodded seriously, knowing that he was going to have a group meeting. Judging from this lineup, Yike also attaches great importance to himself. Both the Shanghai R\u0026D Center and the Silicon Valley R\u0026D Center have heavyweight players.

Under the leadership of Mr. Fang, he went to the conference room and met four senior executives of Yike whom he knew and had heard of.

Fang Zhuo introduced them one by one, laughed and chatted for a few words, and suddenly received a call from the middleman.

He gestured to Dr. Zhang, then went to the door to answer Lu Qi's call.

"Mr. Fang, how was it?" Lu Qi came up and asked about the result.

"Mr. Lu, you are more anxious than Dr. Zhang, but you miscalculated the time. Dr. Zhang just chatted for a while." Fang Zhuo was a little dumbfounded.

Lu Qi said: "I feel a little sad for Dr. Zhang."

"Hmm, didn't you personally call me a few days ago?" Fang Zhuo said this, and then quickly said, "Mr. Lu, Yike is extremely welcoming to talents. If you are not happy at Microsoft, Why don't you come to our place and give it a try?"

"First I am a senior vice president, and then I am an executive vice president, so what do others say about me?" Lu Qi said with a smile.

Fang Zhuo said disapprovingly: "What's the big deal? We just need to have a clear conscience and let others say whatever they say."

Lu Qi thought about the Bing in his hand, about Ballmer's importance, and about taking the lead in helping Zhang Yaqin this time, and sighed quietly: "What if I have a guilty conscience?"

Fang Zhuo was stunned for a moment, feeling guilty. What does it feel like to feel guilty?