American Fortune Life

The corporate governance of Apple's board of directors has always been the focus of attention. In recent years, the company has encountered a number of issues, including options backtracking, the mystery of Jobs' health, and the cloud of doubt surrounding the CEO succession plan.

Within Apple, Jobs has long put pressure on the board. According to Andy's inside information from a large population, when Apple was in trouble in 1997, one of the conditions for Steve Jobs, who was expelled by Apple earlier, was to require most company directors to resign.

At the time, there were only two directors on the Apple board that Jobs asked to stay. As soon as Jobs returned to Apple and regained power, he rebuked the original board of directors for "fucking everything up."

Since then, Jobs has tightly controlled the company, and directors have rarely challenged him. Just like this year, when Jobs concealed his health, the problem became more apparent.

After a significant weight loss, Jobs took almost six months of sick leave from early January 2009, with little explanation. Outside, I'm afraid Andy knows that Jobs is preparing for a liver transplant, and Apple and investors don't know the truth.

It is clear to what extent Jobs controls Apple!

At present, most of the directors of Apple's board of directors are carefully selected by Jobs. Not only do they have no objections to Jobs, some even admire him very much and consider him a genius.

Apple's board of directors currently includes only six members, including Steve Jobs. It is the smallest board of Fortune 500 companies. Despite Apple's continuous financial results, investors have been urging Apple directors to be more independent of strong Steve Jobs.

An independent board represents the interests of shareholders and can challenge ceo when needed.

Apple's senior director and audit committee chairman Jeremy York was very disgusted with Steve Jobs' cover up of the truth about his physical health. When he persuaded Andy on the phone, he said that the only reason he did not resign at that time was because he did not want outside speculation the reason. He told Andy very frankly that he wished he would resign then.

However, he also acknowledged that once he left, Apple's board would have less power to oversee and restrict Jobs.

"... Andy, I sincerely hope that you will be able to join the board of directors. Although it is only a part-time job in the nomination committee for the time being, your participation will also give shareholders and other investors some peace of mind ..."

In the auditorium of Apple's headquarters, Andy sat with many major shareholders, watching six board members, three committee members, and several independent directors, listening to the job report of Cook, who was acting as Jobs temporarily.

Andy glanced at Avon Ceo Zhong Binxian who was sitting next to her. According to the inside story York told him, although Ms. Zhong didn't look good, her ability and influence were extraordinary, not only as an independent director of Apple. He is also a director of GM, and this time he will be nominated as a member of the audit committee, which is completely different from his own **** nomination committee.

It seemed that the other party also noticed Andy's gaze. The Chinese-American woman smiled and nodded to Andy, and Andy responded with a smile.

"……interesting."

Andy is like a bystander, looking at the people who really control Apple in the middle of the field, with a somber look and a frown, from time to time I can see someone looking at Cook with a weird look. He has heard before An indeterminate news, because Steve Jobs' sudden leave, although Steve Jobs concealed his condition well, there are still many speculations that his health is already very dangerous.

Some members of Apple's board of directors have discussed headhunting with ceo successors and have approached at least one head of a large technology company. Although it does not seem to be doing this work on behalf of the entire board. But it is at least a signal that the board of directors is not buying the idea that Steve Jobs chose Cook as his successor.

This rumor even alarmed Steve Jobs, who responded to the matter in an e-mail that was intentionally disclosed to the outside world and addressed to the shareholders' meeting, saying that ‘the search for successor EO is meaningless. ’

So, now Apple's board is in an awkward situation. If the board hasn't started actively looking for CEO successors, problems will follow. However, if board members look for successors in this "informal" way, it can also cause problems.

Similarly, the most nervous, most annoying, and the most uncomfortable person is Cook who is thinking about the shareholders' report. Boss Qiao does not know how long it will last. He himself knows well. The throne, even the current position may not be able to be retained, the sharks on the board will shred him.

Boss Qiao is only on vacation, and this group of people will start making small moves. If they really can't get off the operating table ...

Cook didn't dare to think about it.

"Papapa"

After relatively warm applause, Cook stabilized his mind and continued the next process of the shareholders' meeting, that is, the addition of Apple's new directors, and the chairman of the nomination committee responsible for director nomination and review took over the right of applause.

"According to the nomination of Apple shareholders and the decision of the board of directors, Apple's board of directors formally invited Mr. Andy Smith to join Apple's board of directors as an independent director as a member of the nomination committee.

Andy Smith, currently studying at the University of California, Los Angeles, founded Mockingbird Game Company in 2006, has served as Chairman of Marvel Group since 2007, and has created the Freedom City App Store, Musika Cloud Computing Company, whatsapp Companies, ins companies and other IT technology companies, served as chairman of nbc global in 2008, chairman of Qualcomm, and enjoys a high reputation in the field of high technology and media ... "

The chairman of the nomination committee presented Andy Smith's background to all major shareholders and the board of directors, and Apple executives highly praised Andy's talents and achievements.

"Andy Smith is first and foremost an IT engineer and a successful business leader. We are very happy that he can join Apple's board of directors."

"Papapa"

The applause thundered, Andy stood up, with a smile on his face, and nodded to the people around him elegantly and calmly, thanking them for their applause and support. Although the current Apple stock price is not too exaggerated, but shareholders who can sit here, Holding at least one percent of the shares, that is to say at least a billionaire, and such a large group of billionaires and corporate representatives give such a face, Andy can not remain indifferent.

"Thank you, thank you for your support ... Thank you ..."

After four weeks of thanks, Andy smiled and shook hands with Apple's board members.

"Mr. Smith, you are welcome to join Apple's family, and I hope to cooperate happily in the future ..."

"Thank you." Andy looked at Cook with a smile on his face, shaking hands and thanking him.

"Apple is a great company ..." Andy, as the new director of Apple, started his "comment", "... thank you Apple shareholders and the board for their invitation to me. This is really a very happy thing for me. With an excited invitation, I will take my responsibilities as an independent director of Apple very seriously and fully participate in the activities of the company's board of directors. Thank you. "

"Papa"

Applause once again, Andy slightly thanked him, and then sat on the seat of Apple's board of directors. After that, Andy just smiled and watched Avon's Ms. Zhong Zhong was elected as Apple's co-director in the warmer applause and elected to the audit committee. To be honest, Andy really admires this Chinese woman, a Chinese American woman of middle-class family, who broke the so-called glass ceiling. Anyone who knows deeply about American society knows how difficult it is. It can even be said to be a miracle.

‘... She ’s really shining, and I think we ’ve found an outstanding co-director. ’

"hehe yes."

Andy nodded in agreement with the chairman of the Nomination Committee sitting next to him with a sigh of laughter and whispering, but for a while, he really didn't understand the aesthetics of the East and the West. Is it really different?

It ’s not. At least one ’s own aesthetics are normal. There is no such thing as an Easterner who sees the face blindness of Westerners. Look at the goddesses that you taste, which is not a beauty recognized by both the East and the West?

Alas.

A group of people who have never seen the world ...