Reinventing the Millennium

On the night of April 2, the weather in Tokyo suddenly changed, with strong winds and heavy rain.

In the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Fang Zhuo was sitting on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking and reading Sony materials.

"Mr. Fang, he said that due to the typhoon on the south coast, the weather has changed, and tomorrow's flight may be postponed to the night after tomorrow."

Zhao Zhishan walked in hurriedly and saw his boss with the stormy night view of Tokyo behind him.

"Well, I guess there will be a delay." Fang Zhuo put out the cigarette and looked at the city under the heavy rain outside the window, "Take my mobile phone and call Vice President Hu of TSMC and ask him if he has been affected by the weather. .”

"If he is affected, let him come to the hotel, where he can have a drink and chat again."

Zhao Zhishan did not expect that the boss’s first thought was Hu Zhengda.

She took two steps, got the mobile phone on the coffee table, and contacted him as instructed.

The other party expressed his gratitude, but he had already returned to Treasure Island.

"Mr. Hu is really a doer. I like this style." Fang Zhuo was a little surprised. "Then tell the people in New York and Houston that we will be a day or two late."

Houston is still waiting for contact, and it is impossible for Alexander to sell the Rockets to someone he has never met.

At the very least, you have to meet someone before you can sell it.

In addition, the sale of the team must be approved by the league council. If the move is faster, Dayao may be included in the bag within this month.

Zhao Zhishan walked to the next room to make contact.

Fang Zhuo flipped through Sony's materials in his hand and could faintly hear her voice, but his thoughts were focused on Sony.

After the recording of TV Tokyo's program ended, Fang Zhuo felt that Sony seemed to be more confused and at a loss than he thought after sorting through the camera. This feeling was confirmed by the content of the materials in his hand.

Chairman Nobuyuki Idei also seemed to realize that his situation was not good. In October last year, he announced a plan called "Change 60", claiming to increase the company's profit margin to 10% in 2006.

This person categorically stated that if the standards cannot be met, Sony Group can change its coach.

This, isn't this giving someone a handle?

Fang Zhuo didn't know that such a situation existed before. After reading the materials, he realized that Nobuyuki Dei's situation might be worse than he guessed.

He has reached the point where he must give others authority in order to maintain his authority...

However, Sony's business has not improved this year. Nobuyuki Idei gave out the reasons early, allowing people to openly propose the change of rights...

The situation is already very dangerous.

Fang Zhuo likes to put himself in others' shoes and consider problems, which can make his thinking jump sharper.

"Mr. Fang, the notification is complete. I will pay attention to the latest weather news tonight."

Zhao Zhishan walked in again and put the boss's mobile phone on the coffee table.

Fang Zhuo said "hmm", put down the materials he had read, and said, "Xiao Liu should be back soon. I asked him to buy some newspapers. If you have time in the evening or tomorrow, go online and help me collect some Sony papers." information."

Zhao Zhishan quickly replied: "I have time now."

"Oh, there is a notebook, you can collect it at the table." Fang Zhuo nodded, "You can put all the information you think is valuable in the document, I will look at it later."

Soon, the only sound in the room was the occasional sound of the mouse and keyboard.

Zhao Zhishan frowned and searched carefully, and suddenly realized that the boss had not made a single sound. She glanced slightly sideways and found that Mr. Fang was contemplating the wind and rain outside the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Mr. Fang, there is a lot of information about Sony. I only kept the information from the past few years."

Zhao Zhishan spoke carefully.

Fang Zhuo said "hmm" and yawned: "Bring it here and make me a cup of coffee. On a rainy day like this, drinking a steaming cup of coffee at night really makes you feel happy."

Zhao Zhishan handed over the notebook, first made a cup of coffee for his boss, and then a cup for himself.

She sipped her mouth and saw Mr. Fang's relaxed expression, so she couldn't help but ask: "Mr. Fang, do you judge the situation by looking at some, um, some very common news?"

Fang Zhuo said without raising his head: "Otherwise? What do you think it is?"

Zhao Zhishan said without hesitation: "I thought it was the kind of information that we can't access. I didn't expect, I didn't expect, uh, that Mr. Fang would also read this kind of content that everyone can see."

Fang Zhuo glanced at the secretary this time and smiled slightly: "Many times, valuable information is visible to everyone, but you don't need to use it to judge the situation."

Zhao Zhishan was doubtful.

"Just like this one." Fang Zhuo took a sip of coffee and pointed at the laptop screen, "In 1997, Sony reduced its more than 40-member board of directors to 10 people, 7 of whom were internal directors and 3 of whom were outside directors. "

Zhao Zhishan thought carefully, this happened nearly 7 years ago, what can it prove?

"I said on today's program that Japan has a very closed mentality, and many of its companies have this behavior. The board of directors is the lifeblood of a company's power. It introduces three external people as directors, and this ratio reaches 30%. Don’t look at me, I don’t usually have much presence.”

"Once there is a problem with the status of the company, it is legal for such directors to speak out."

"Xiao Zhao, Sony 7 years ago is not what it is now. Why does it want to reorganize its board of directors?"

"This is by no means a Sony family matter."

"It's just a reflection of social and corporate trends in recent years."

Fang Zhuo casually indexed a few keywords and quickly found the information he was thinking of.

That is to say, when Sony reorganized its board of directors in 1997 and introduced European and American management systems, Japanese companies followed suit in order to improve the transparency of corporate management.

By 2003 last year, Japan's new commercial law directly confirmed the new governance structure reform of "committee-based companies" by large companies such as Sony.

Zhao Zhishan looked at the boss's fixed message, thought for a while, and said, "Is this a Japanese company that is Westernizing?"

"Pretty much, Japanese companies also believe that a closed state is not conducive to better development, and are making spontaneous changes. Sony is one of them." Fang Zhuo smiled, "Closed, hierarchical, and stubborn, this is a common state of Japanese companies. The changes of Westernization will definitely have an impact.”

He pointed at the screen again and said: "Look, what is mentioned here are internal directors and external directors. This is actually what they are called in the United States. According to the British, they are executive directors and non-executive directors."

"Japanese companies say they are Westernizing, but more of it is aimed at the governance of American companies."

Zhao Zhishan was impressed that there were such details in a message.

Fang Zhuo suddenly remembered something and tapped the keyboard again to search for it.

——Nissan hired Carlos, the vice president of Renault of France, to become its CEO in 1999, and he became the president of Nissan Co., Ltd. the following year.

This is the first time that a famous Japanese company has a foreign president.

Today, Nissan has come back from the brink of bankruptcy.

This will undoubtedly cause a greater shock to Japanese companies.

Fang Zhuo thought about it for a while and felt that Sony's board of directors reform launched in 1997 was likely to play a foreshadowing role in its current decline.

Thinking about it this way, Stringer, who is now the vice chairman of Sony, really has no chance.

It is difficult not to think that "Look at Nissan using foreigners to bring back the dead" will not appear within Sony. After all, Sony has been actively promoting internationalization, and Sony America is quite prosperous.

Stringer is not only responsible for Sony Music, he is responsible for Sony's overall business in the United States, and also oversees the operations of Sony's global entertainment business.

If he were in Stringer's position, wouldn't he have thoughts about the position of chairman of Sony Group?

Now that you have taken on such a top overseas role, don't you want to be the savior of the Sony Group in its decline?

With the Nissan Group taking the lead, Sony's continued decline, and the group's board of directors reforming over the past few years, there is really no chance.

Fang Zhuo weighed it repeatedly and added another one, as well as public opinion's deconstruction of Nobuyuki Idei's authority...

Then Sony will also have a foreign chairman like Nissan?

At present, public opinion has not criticized Dei Nobuyuki. He has recorded an episode for "Tokyo Online", which may really serve as a catalyst.

accelerate? accelerate.

Zhao Zhishan didn't know that her boss had already figured out a lot of things in her mind. She was still immersed in the retrieved information: "Sony must have been shaken. It has not turned around its profits from last year to now. Such a giant company will definitely work hard to adjust."

Fang Zhuo came back to his senses, nodded and said: "Adjustments are adjustments. It's hard to say whether they can be adjusted in place."

Even if Stringer really has a chance to compete for the chairman of Sony Group, it is impossible for such a giant group rooted in Japan to have local forces, and it is difficult not to speculate that there will be a fierce struggle.

He drank the last of his coffee and smiled: "A chaotic Sony is a good Sony."

Before Zhao Zhishan could say anything, the phone on the coffee table suddenly vibrated.

Fang Zhuo took the cell phone handed over by his secretary, his expression became subtle, it was Stringer's phone number who had been speculated.

I just recorded a program on TV Tokyo, and I got in touch with this person tonight.

Are you here to inquire about Yike's stock price?

Fang Zhuo answered the phone and drove away the secretary with his eyes.

Zhao Zhishan left the room silently. She found that a level of information that ordinary people could not access had appeared, and Mr. Fang had to grasp it with both hands.

"Fang, Yike and Sony Music have always maintained a good cooperative relationship. How can you do this?"

Stringer came up with an unhappy tone to express his dissatisfaction.

Fang Zhuo was a little stunned and asked: "I have not destroyed this cooperative relationship, and I have been working hard to develop better market space. Mr. Stringer, have you misunderstood?"

Stringer said seriously: "Fang, Sony's players are in competition with your Yike products. I don't think your criticism of the Sony Group in Tokyo will help our cooperation with Sony Music."

"In fact, I am also under a lot of pressure for this cooperation."

"Fang, everything must have limits."

Fang Zhuo listened to Stringer's criticism and said thoughtfully: "Mr. Stringer, I didn't actually criticize the Sony Group. I just have doubts about Mr. Idei's decision-making. I don't know where you learned about today's program." , but in fact, the atmosphere on site was very good, and we were discussing business operations."

Stringer slowed down his tone: "Is that so? But even so... Fang, I think you are a business genius with your own unique insights. You can't say this on the show next time, as it can easily cause a chain reaction."

This call came too quickly, and his attitude changed too quickly.

It seems to confirm Sony's fierce internal conflicts from the side, and Stringer is really chasing the top position in the Sony Group.

Fang Zhuo made a judgment and basically clarified Sony's situation, but he still didn't know the specific composition and power balance of the factions.

He said: "Yes, I was abrupt this time. When I was asked by the host in the afternoon, I felt that people here were very concerned about Sony's strategy. They all seemed to think that Sony needed to change, so I couldn't help but share some unpleasant comments. A mature view.”

Stringer was silent for a few seconds and did not continue talking about this matter.

The conversation between the two turned into regular pleasantries.

After a while, Stringer said: "Fang, the development of music in the Internet era is indeed getting faster and faster. Apple is launching online albums based on its software. I think there is further room for cooperation between Sony Music and Yike."

Fang Zhuo pondered.

If it were another time, he would have followed these words and truly considered substantive cooperation between the two parties, but at this moment when Stringer mentioned this matter, he was thinking about the hidden motives behind such a proposal.

"Sony Music will hold a shareholders' meeting in July this year. Fang, are you interested in serving as an outside director? The two companies need to cooperate more closely." Stringer suggested.

Fang Zhuo didn't expect to hear such words at all, and he couldn't figure out Stringer's plan for a while.

Is this to show Sony Group’s cooperation with Sony Music or is it sending a signal?

He was thinking in his head and immediately said: "Mr. Stringer, what you said makes sense. We must work more closely to resist the squeeze from Apple and other record companies."

"It is an honor for me to serve as an outside director of Sony Music, but will there be a lot of resistance?"

Regardless of what the Sony Group is like, Yike has demand for Sony Music.

For Stringer, Sony Music may be just one area of ​​Sony's business in the United States, but for Yi Ke, it is the most important collaborator.

Stringer did not say a word and said without reproach: "Fang, when you come to New York, we will talk face to face about the cooperation between the two companies. Regarding outside directors, I believe that the shareholders will correctly evaluate the feasibility and necessity of mutual cooperation. "

"See you in New York."

Fang Zhuo ended the call.

A lighthearted critique and an invitation to an outside director.

The rain outside the window is getting heavier and heavier.

At ten o'clock in the evening, Zhao Zhishan walked in with various newspapers purchased by his colleagues, and once again saw his boss thinking about the storm.

"Mr. Fang, I have brought the newspapers, some in English and some in Japanese. Do you want me to translate the Japanese ones now?"

"No, you can relax when you fly to the United States." Fang Zhuo shook his head.

Zhao Zhishan glanced at the night view of Tokyo and said worriedly: "The rain doesn't stop. I hope we can take off normally the night after tomorrow."

Fang Zhuo also looked at the urban night scene in the rain and said with emotion: "The wind and rain are like darkness, and the cockcrow is endless."

The wind and rain are like darkness, and the cockcrow is endless. Now that I see a gentleman, Yunhu is not happy?

This Sony change requires knowledgeable people to step forward.

Stringer invited himself to serve as an external director of Sony Music. His intention is probably more than that. He is already focusing more on the layout of the group's board of directors after taking power.

From this perspective, once successful, Sony and I will be neither enemies nor friends, we will all be our own people.