Chapter 285: Sharpening the Knife (Two in One)

On May 8, the sky in Beijing was exceptionally blue.

Fang Zhuo was also in a particularly good mood.

Because I met my good friend Wang Yan again.

Although the two of them had only met each other a few times in total, they could chat with each other and had an introduction to share repurchase, which made communication more convenient.

Wang Yan must have thought so too. As soon as he walked into the CCTV recording hall and saw Fang Zhuo, he smiled.

"Mr. Fang, Mr. Fang, Mr. Fang." Wang Yan walked quickly, the smile on his face turned into a bright flower, "You, you, you are really good."

Fang Zhuo stood up, shook hands with the CEO, and said with a smile, "Why do you say that?"

"Your Yike Investment has raised its flag against Sina." Wang Yan got the notice in the car when he came here in the morning. Yike Investment from Shanghai sent a letter to Sina and already holds 5.5% of the shares.

"Aren't you optimistic about Sina's development?" Fang Zhuo smiled slightly.

Wang Yan nodded repeatedly and joked: "I thought Mr. Fang has been busy recently and doesn't have the energy to take care of other things."

He was referring to the public opinion about Yike. This time, the online media interview about the reversal of the trend also asked Sina to go through the phone call, so he knew the ins and outs in more detail.

"Hey, no matter how busy you are, you can't forget Sina." Fang Zhuo slapped his thigh, "I'm very optimistic about Sina."

Wang Yan smiled and nodded.

Fang Zhuo added: "That's right. Sina still needs to work harder. The first quarter financial report is not very good. It's May again."

Wang Yan spread his hands helplessly: "It will be fine. We are making adjustments in all aspects."

"Hey, I heard." Fang Zhuo said from the gossip, "NetEase is developing a game?"

Wang Yan often pays attention to his colleagues and is much better informed than Fang Zhuo: "Well, we are developing a Westward Journey, oh yes, Westward Journey 2."

Fang Zhuo asked with concern: "Is there a future?"

"We still need to see the effect." Wang Yan expressed the opinions discussed in the company, "We think it may be average. The main reason is that they are currently developing a sequel, Westward Journey 2. The previous Westward Journey 1 was very bad."

"The more you lose, the braver you become." Fang Zhuo said.

Wang Yan smiled: "It seems that Mr. Fang is also very interested in NetEase. When Mr. Ding comes one day, let him introduce the business to you."

Fang Zhuo nodded. He really wanted to hear Ding Lei's views on the business.

The two guests chatted and soon waited for the recording of the program to begin.

I didn’t sit in the judges’ seat today, so the task was easy.

"Win in China" has been recorded for a long time this year, and now the top 12 people standing on the stage are among the top 12. Xu Huaizhe, who founded the accounting learning website, is still among them.

Fang Zhuo chatted with Wang Yan in a low voice while watching the show.

However, due to the public turmoil, the program team obviously wanted to give more cameras, and many comments about the contestants were thrown in. Under such circumstances, Fang Zhuo was still able to comment and chat at the same time, and he seemed to be a good hand at the program recording.

Most of the morning passed, and the recording atmosphere of the show became stronger. There were some disturbances between the judges and the contestants. The judges talked about the importance of marketing advertising, and the contestants insisted on product-oriented.

At this time, the host threw the question to the guest seat again.

"Why is it so extreme? Of course the product must be good, and publicity is also very important." Fang Zhuo took the question and said to Xini, he was a little distracted just now and didn't notice how he got into this atmosphere.

He thought for a while and gave an example: "Good publicity can make people remember the product instantly, such as..."

Fang Zhuo searched for information in his mind and said with a smile: "For example, many people like to drink. After drinking, everyone's topics will rise from family affairs to national affairs."

Many people nodded, this is personal experience.

"We have a wine called Fenjiu in Shanxi Province. We can use an advertising slogan like this: For major events in the world, you must drink Fenjiu, and you must drink Fenjiu." Fang Zhuo said to the contestants with a smile, "Look, such a homonym makes it instantly Just remember it?”

The general trend of the world is that if it has been divided for a long time, it must be united, and if it has been united for a long time, it must be divided.

For great events in the world, Fen wine must be drunk, and drinking wine must be Fen.

Before the contestants could answer, the audience burst into applause.

The desperate contestant was convinced, and the main thing was that he really remembered the name of the wine at once.

The host brought the topic back, and did not forget to shout: "Leaders of Fenjiu, remember to pay Mr. Fang for advertising."

The whole place was filled with laughter.

Wang Yan next to him said in a low voice: "If I were the leader of Fenjiu, I would immediately announce that I would give you money. I can use special advertising and have a more explosive effect."

"Hahaha, let's see if they like this ad or not." Fang Zhuo said with a smile, "Invite Mr. Wang to dinner tonight. Instead of drinking wine this time, we will drink Fenjiu. All major events in the world are in the wine."

Wang Yan happily agreed.

After a whole day of recording, Fang Zhuo was half thinking about the board seat.

After finally coming out of CCTV, the two of them didn't find any high-end place, so they casually went to a restaurant without even having a private room. They ordered four stir-fried dishes and a soup, and then went to the nearby supermarket to buy a bottle of Fenjiu.

"Well, it's really casual for Mr. Fang to invite me to dinner." Wang Yan was a little dumbfounded. Today's casualness was beyond imagination.

"A true man behaves without sticking to trivial matters." Fang Zhuo shook the wine bottle in his hand, "What's more, we drank Fenjiu today for a major event in the world."

Wang Yan comes from a scholarly family and has stayed in romantic France for six years. She is quite good at this. Fang Zhuo appreciates what he said: "Mr. Fang is very powerful. This time he dealt with brand public opinion and cut through the mess quickly."

Fang Zhuo poured the wine with his own hands: "It's just a little luck."

"Yike's M1 is very popular overseas, this is not luck." Wang Yan said.

"It's just due to the low labor cost in China." Fang Zhuo clinked his glasses and drank it all.

Wang Yan drank a glass of wine in two times and laughed: "If Mr. Fang continues to be so modest, I will be ashamed."

Fang Zhuo joked: "If Mr. Wang is ashamed, then I will go to Sina to be the CEO and let Mr. Wang take charge of my Yike."

Wang Yan laughed: "I just like Mr. Fang's humor."

How many true words are said in a joking way.

Fang Zhuo silently filled the glass and talked about Yike's overseas market development.

Last month, he went to many cities with Yu Hong. Taking advantage of the last month before Apple held a product launch conference, he made crazy concessions and successfully completed the goal set at the beginning of the month.

In the middle of this month, Apple will hold a press conference, and then we will have to observe the performance of overseas markets. The US economy is so developed, we have to see how much impact the price factor has on the user group.

Therefore, Fang Zhuo had a lot to talk about, and Wang Yan was very interested in what he said. Only people who were deeply involved in the market could tell some details, but Wang Yan, who was an academic, lacked these.

After finishing a bottle of wine, he went to the next door to buy another one.

Seeing that he was drunk, Fang Zhuo felt dizzy, but his mind was very clear. After another toast, he finally asked a question that he had been planning for a long time: "I think Sina will hold a shareholders' meeting next month? How will the board of directors be elected?"

When Wang Yan heard this question, he suddenly sobered up, but he still smiled and asked back: "Mr. Fang wants to join our Sina board of directors?"

"We." Fang Zhuo corrected.

Regarding the question, Fang Zhuo thought for a long time and considered a variety of ways to ask questions, but after repeated weighing, he still felt that it was better to be straightforward.

Yike Investment meets the requirements.

He is also a little famous.

In addition, he is young and has more enterprising or vain hearts, which is normal in the eyes of others.

Yike Investment has entered the Sina board of directors, which sounds satisfying.

Fang Zhuo continued, "I asked people to buy Sina's stocks, and my subordinates said that I was about to reach the limit for raising the placard. I thought about it and realized that it had reached the limit. The first investment project entered the board of directors, and people would think that Yike Investment had some ability in the future."

Wang Yan gently shook his glass and smiled without saying anything.

His drunkenness seemed to fade away all of a sudden, and he thought about the feasibility and pros and cons of this matter. At present, there are seven people on the Sina board of directors, and the factions are still relatively clear.

North American institutions, Sitong faction, Formosa institutions, and management.

As the CEO second only to the president in the management, Wang Yan has his own views on Sina's current business, and he also has some ideas about the management of the current president Mao Daolin.

Sina is a listed company, and one of the reasons why the founder was kicked out of the company was the company's performance.

Now, Sina, which was taken over by Mao Daolin, has not improved, and even seems a bit chaotic.

The initiator, will there be no descendants?

Wang Yan took a bite of the food and lowered his head slightly to hide his expression. If he wanted to make a difference, the support of the board of directors was obviously very important, but there were many factions in the Sina board of directors, and the votes of the representatives of each party had their own ideas.

So, what about introducing a new party?

At this time, Fang Zhuo stated: "Yike Investment will definitely not interfere with the management when it enters the Sina board of directors. There are non-executive directors, so that will do."

Wang Yan gently raised his glass and clinked it, took a sip of wine, and pondered: "Non-executive directors."

Non-executive directors also have votes, which is indeed suitable for shareholders who do not participate in actual work.

Moreover, the shareholders' meeting next month has been approved, and an American private equity fund MIGA will definitely be introduced. It is likely that it will naturally stand on the side of American capital.

Wang Yan, an academic, once served as the president of the student union, and is familiar with some checks and balances.

He thinks that adding a domestic institution to this shareholders' meeting will definitely get the consent of the major shareholder Duan Yongji, and Fang Zhuo has a good relationship with him and can be a companion on the board of directors.

In the future, even non-executive directors will not be needed, and executive directors can be used.

Although Mr. Fang is young, he is also very capable and has unique insights into the Internet.

Wang Yan's thoughts surged, and he felt that it was not only a check and balance, but also a chance for Fang Zhuo to assist him.

He smiled at the person opposite him, but did not agree immediately. He only said: "I can't make the decision on the board of directors. Mr. Fang is not joking with me, right? If you really want to be one, I can go back and mention it."

Fang Zhuo shook his head first and then nodded, and said seriously: "How can you be joking? I've been thinking about it for a long time."

"Hahaha." Wang Yan subconsciously took another sip of wine, and thought about it again in his mind before laughing, "Then I'll go back and talk about it, but I dare not guarantee it. The seats on the board of directors must be approved by the shareholders' meeting."

Fang Zhuo nodded and said: "Of course."

He pretended not to know and asked: "How many people are there on the Sina board of directors now?"

"Seven." Wang Yan introduced with a smile, "The chairman of the board of directors is Jiang Fengnian."

Fang Zhuo listened quietly, and added in his heart, well, a representative of Taiwanese capital.

"Duan Yongji, the co-chairman (anti-joke) of the board of directors." Wang Yan continued to introduce.

Fang Zhuo nodded, yes, a representative of domestic capital.

Wang Yan took a bite of food: "President Mao Daolin."

Fang Zhuo also ate food, yes, a representative of American capital.

"Technical Director Yan Yuanchao." Wang Yan smiled.

Well, this one can barely be considered domestically funded, a first-generation programmer, Fang Zhuo thought thoughtfully.

Wang Yan pointed to himself and introduced himself to Sina's new shareholders: "CEO Wang Yan."

Fang Zhuo raised his glass, "Well, you are considered the management, or you are domestically owned by Duan Yongji and his family."

A steaming new dish was served on the table.

Wang Yan introduced the seven board members in a tense atmosphere, while Fang Zhuo remembered them all in his heart.

Finally, the Sina CEO added another piece of information: "Oh, yes, MIGA, an American private equity fund, will join the board of directors next month."

Fang Zhuo nodded, yes, this is mine.

Wang Yan said: "Non-executive directors are still relatively new in China. Let me tell you, you have to give Mr. Fang some face."

"If you can give me face, tell Mr. Wang, it's to give Mr. Wang face." Fang Zhuo thanked him knowingly, "Yike Investment has joined the board of directors, and Mr. Wang also came to show his name to me."

Wang Yan smiled and refused: "I focus on Sina and don't want to be a traitor."

After hearing these words, Fang Zhuo suppressed his curse and toasted with a glass of wine.

The topic of board seats came to an end. Wang Yan had some other ideas in his mind, and Fang Zhuo coincidentally had other ideas in his mind... all of them.

The more they drank, the more speculative they became.

At the end, Wang Yan suddenly talked with emotion about the major event of Sina last year - the removal of founder Wang Zhidong.

"President Wang is very capable." Wang Yan said, "Unfortunately, American investors overemphasize performance. In fact, it's not that the performance of Sina is not good, it's that not all domestic companies are good, and there are not many in the world." A listed Internet company with good performance.”

"Under the Internet bubble, performance was difficult, not to mention that the domestic profit model was still being explored." Fang Zhuo knew this well.

Wang Yan regretted: "So, the board of directors did not give Mr. Wang enough time, otherwise, there may not be improvement."

What does it mean to remember the founder who was kicked out of the company in front of the new shareholders?

Fang Zhuo easily read the meaning and said solemnly: "The board of directors is too eager."

He asked tentatively: "I heard that this is what Mr. Duan Yongji meant?"

"The situation is more complicated." Wang Yan frowned and said as if he was just suspicious, "Mr. Duan has a tough personality, but I haven't delved into whether it was the American capital's intention or his."

He sighed: "After all, I am just a small CEO."

Fang Zhuo toasted the last glass of wine, "It's okay, Xiao Wang, you introduced me, you are Sina's great contributor."

The two of them drank the wine together.

Wang Yan's thoughts on Sina's major events were all in the wine.

Fang Zhuo started sharpening his knife and Huo Huo was also in the cup.

I searched for the Fenjiu advertisement for a long time, but I couldn't find it.

I'll do some coding again, two chapters tomorrow morning.