Top of the Great Era

Chapter 2232 Keeping Hope
Boss Ma is coming to the United States, because Zhou Buqi has investigated the internal changes in Yahoo from Carl Icahn.But before he came, Zhou Buqi made an appointment with Yang Zhiyuan.

After the meeting, Zhou Buqi first said something incredible to him, "Yesterday afternoon, John Richtillo, the CEO of EA, went to my office once and threatened me."

"Ah?" Yang Zhiyuan couldn't believe it, "Threat?"

Zhou Buqi said: "That's right, he told me that he wanted Changyou to give up the fierce competition with EA, otherwise he would accompany him to the end, that look... as if he wanted to eat people."

Yang Zhiyuan was a little amused, "I heard that he has been questioned a lot within EA and is about to step down."

Zhou Buqi said: "Maybe I can really jump over the wall in a hurry."

Yang Zhiyuan didn't care much about this, "EA is now facing internal and external troubles, what else can it do? In the past few years, in order to solve the funding problem, it has sold the stocks of many companies, including Ubisoft in France."

"Well, in my opinion... Ubisoft may get better in the next few years without the constraints of EA." Zhou Buqi remembered something and smiled, "EA also sold all the shares of Ninetowns. It’s over. When investing in Ninetowns a few years ago, EA spent US$1.67 million to get a 15% stake in Ninetowns. When it was sold, the 15% stake was only worth US$1700 million.”

With this wave of operations, Zhu Jun can be regarded as killing EA.

Yang Zhiyuan smiled and said, "That's right, that Ricci Tilo... I guess I'm dying, and at most it's just scaring people. I read an article a few days ago, and it was an interview with an executive who left EA , severely criticized EA's status quo."

Zhou Buqi said: "Oh, I also read that article!"

Because EA has continuously made mistakes in decision-making in the past period of time, it has adjusted the positions of many executives, and many direct subordinates of CEO John Richtillo have left.

Basically he was left as a polished commander.

No way, this guy is the boss of EA, a member of the company's entrepreneurial team, and most people can't touch him.

Unexpectedly, a recent report on EA caused an uproar in the industry.

Everyone knows that the executives who left EA some time ago are all direct descendants of John Richtillo, but such direct descendants bombarded John Richtillo anonymously through the media...

"When I was at EA, Riccitillo was costing the company tons of money every year. He didn't understand games at all, and he didn't understand entertainment..."

"I doubt that EA's executive chairman is thinking about it."

"They may think of themselves as creation machines, but those creative people have left EA long ago and found a place where they can use their talents and create."

"EA hasn't made any compelling games in 10-15 years and EA is bleeding as time goes by. It's tragic, this company used to be big. Ricky Tillo is the biggest reason EA stopped working .Maybe the company will heal in the future, but I don't think so."

"There are a lot of useless executive corpses inside EA, and this place has become an EA nursing home."

"EA is completely separated from players..."

After Yang Zhiyuan's reminder, Zhou Buqi came to his senses, and couldn't help but laugh: "That article is very good, the report is very comprehensive, and it analyzes the reasons for EA's decline from the inside to the outside. This John Richtilo... Don’t you think that this article was written by me behind your back?”

Yang Zhiyuan said: "Very likely."

"It's an innocent disaster." Zhou Buqi was a little amused, "I'll just say, some time ago he went to Yanjing in a crazy way, and he wanted to turn his friendship into friendship with me. This time when I came to the United States, he immediately There has been a big change."

Yang Zhiyuan said easily: "It shouldn't be a big deal, the most is that he has some friends in the capital market. In the past few years, he has led EA to play capital games."

Zhou Buqi laughed and said, "Coincidentally, I also know quite a few people. I met Carl Icahn in New York two days ago."

Mentioning this person, Yang Zhiyuan's expression was not very good.

Yahoo has become a company dominated by capital, and one of the most important reasons is Carl Icahn, which has become a typical negative case.

Because of this incident, those Internet companies that went public later basically had to play the AB stock model, for fear of Yahoo's tragedy happening again.

However, Yang Zhiyuan hid it well, "What are you talking about? Netflix?"

Zhou Buqi said: "Well, we talked. He wanted to join Netflix's board of directors, but I rejected him."

Yang Zhiyuan smiled and said, "It's not easy to reject him."

Zhou Buqi waved his hand, and now we can get to the point, "Don't worry about Netflix. After meeting him, I mainly talked about Yahoo."

Yang Zhiyuan's heart skipped a beat, "What did you say?"

Zhou Buqi said: "The new CEO Thompson you appointed, did he have a fake degree?"

Yang Zhiyuan's expression froze instantly.

Zhou Buqi sighed, "It seems to be true."

Yang Zhiyuan's anger is self-evident, "I've never seen such a shameless person like Carl Icahn."

Zhou Buqi didn't take it seriously, "The capitalist is nothing more than making money. Dealing with this kind of person doesn't have so many complicated twists and turns, as long as he makes money. The things that money can solve are the simplest things." .”

Yang Zhiyuan shook his head, "He has a big appetite!"

Zhou Buqi said: "I know, when we were in New York, we met three times, mainly talking about Yahoo."

A bit of worry appeared on Yang Zhiyuan's eyebrows, "What are you talking about?"

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, "He told me that he hoped Ziweixing International could merge with Yahoo, and then rely on Yahoo to go public through a backdoor."

"what?"

Yang Zhiyuan was slightly taken aback, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, and then burst out laughing.

Zhou Buqi couldn't help laughing, "That's right, that's what he suggested to me, and I was shocked at the time. But judging by his state, he doesn't look like he's joking with me at all."

Yang Zhiyuan unabashedly showed his contempt for Carl Icahn, "He thinks everyone is like him, and their minds are full of money!"

Ziweixing International used Yahoo as a backdoor listing, which is of course a good choice.

Although it is a backdoor listing, it can still issue a large number of new shares and raise a large amount of funds.

Not even a roadshow.

In order to go public smoothly, many large companies have to carry out extensive roadshows before the IPO, the purpose of which is to spread the word.Tell the world that we are about to go public, we are a good company, everyone come and buy our stock!

Just like product sales.

It’s not enough that your product is high quality and low price, you have to do marketing to let the market know that your product is high quality and low price.Only when others know about it will they buy it; if others don’t even know about it, no matter how good the product is, it’s useless.

If it is a backdoor listing of Yahoo, there will be no such troubles.

Yahoo is a representative company of Nasdaq.

It has a huge reputation and brand in the Internet industry.

This eliminates the need for a roadshow.

There is no need for any publicity, relying on the "Yahoo" signboard, the media around the world will take the initiative to spread the publicity for free.

However, there is a hurdle that cannot be bypassed.

Although there are many kinds of listing models for a company, there are also high and low points.Only those fringe companies that are not in the mainstream will choose to complete the listing through the backdoor listing model.

They have formed a chain of contempt for listing.

Once the "backdoor listing" model is adopted, it basically means that the company has surrendered to the public.

Of course, a good company like Ziweixing International would not do such a shameful thing. Even if it is very profitable and has many benefits, it can't afford to lose this person.

Zhou Buqi said jokingly: "That guy also gave me an idea, and I was even more shocked."

"What's the idea?"

"He said that Ziweixing International and Yahoo would merge, preferably in the name of Yahoo's acquisition of Ziweixing International. In this way, you can gain a huge reputation. If you gain fame, I can reap the greatest benefits."

"real or fake?"

Yang Zhiyuan was also stunned, thinking he was joking.

Zhou Buqi said: "I can't think of such a genius idea."

Yang Zhiyuan wanted to curse when he heard this, "This Carl Icahn is simply crazy!"

Although he really wants Yahoo to "acquire" Ziweixing International, he is very clear that this is impossible.

In merger and acquisition cases, "snakes swallow elephants" are not unheard of.

But there has to be a big premise.

To complete the "snake swallowing an elephant", the "snake" must be in a strong position, and the snake is changing into a dragon; the "elephant" is in a weak position, and the elephant is dying.This is completely opposite to the status quo of Yahoo and Ziweixing International.

Zhou Buqi said: "But I didn't reject him."

"what?"

Yang Zhiyuan was very puzzled.

Zhou Buqi said with a smile: "I told him, this is a big matter, I have to go back and think about it."

Yang Zhiyuan's expression became suspicious, and he could already hear the meaning of his words, "You are..."

Zhou Buqi said: "At least it can help you hold him back, so that he will not spend more energy on plotting behind the scenes and trying to get CEO Thompson to step down."

Yang Zhiyuan sighed, "I'm afraid it will be difficult!"

Zhou Buqi frowned slightly, "Fake academic qualifications, is it true?"

Yang Zhiyuan nodded, "Well, it's true. I talked to him and he admitted it."

Zhou Buqi said: "I haven't had much contact with Thompson, and I don't know much about him. But the financial report and stock price will not lie. In the past few months since he took office, Yahoo's stock price has rebounded significantly, and the financial report is also very good. .This is what he has achieved despite Yahoo's internal and external troubles, management turmoil, and lack of full support from the board of directors. If he is given more time, maybe he can really lead Yahoo to the road to recovery."

Yang Zhiyuan was very helpless and regretful, "But the management only wanted to sell the company and realize short-term cash. I also have the responsibility. In 08, many radical managements entered Yahoo. They have been locked up for several years, and their patience has been worn out. Nope. It’s not too surprising that they don’t want to go down with Yahoo.”

Zhou Buqi said with emotion: "Talents are rare!"

Yang Zhiyuan said: "Yes!"

Zhou Buqi said: "So no matter what, we must not expose Thompson's education scandal. We must keep him in the position of CEO of Yahoo, and we must preserve the hope of Yahoo's recovery."

(End of this chapter)