Reinventing the Millennium

Shizuo Takajo, the COO of Sony Group, is also among those who were defeated head-on by the Yike Player.

Fang Zhuo knew his resume and that he participated in the design of Walkman, a Sony classic product, so it was not surprising that this person repeatedly attacked him.

In other words, except for Brother Stringer, it wouldn't surprise him if anyone else here raised an issue.

Fang Zhuo felt the eyes of the little devils in the conference room, put down the pen he was playing with, and looked at Shizuo Takajo.

"I don't have to be an outside director."

Fang Zhuo's spoken English is very standard and clear, and his first words shocked Sony's internal and external directors.

Then, he changed the topic and said sadly: "But I am a straightforward person. Even if I fight to get rid of the position of outside director today, I still have to say a few words from the bottom of my heart."

Shizuo Takajo wanted to point out that "outside directors" had not yet been given to this young man, but he was immediately criticized by his name.

"Which of the 12 directors on Sony's board of directors today is not responsible for Sony's current situation? Especially you, Shizuo Takajo, why do you want to obstruct the group's new music player plan!"

Fang Zhuo was pushing and guessing, but when he saw Gao Tiao's reaction, he knew he was right. He was obviously a conservative within the group.

There was anger in his voice, and he said in a deep voice: "Shizuo Takajo, you are coming out to accuse me and Stringer's choice now. It is nothing more than resentment after Walkman lost the market. Do you need to make this point more clear? "

"Yes, Stringer is at fault. His biggest mistake is that he did not withstand the pressure of you people! He did not advise the implementation of the new player plan!"

"However, with Walkman's defeat and today's market, if Stringer hadn't insisted on cooperating with Yike, all the markets would have belonged to Apple!"

"I was about to sell Yike to Apple, but Stringer insisted on calling me and insisted on finding greater autonomy for Sony Music and even the group's business!"

"At that time, why didn't Shizuo Takajo jump out?"

Fang Zhuosuo suddenly said: "Oh no, Shizuo Takajo jumped out at that time. You jumped out to stop the new direction of the group's music player! You are the main reason for Walkman's defeat! You are the sinner!"

Some Sony directors had turned their attention from the face of the young president to the face of the chief operating officer. It was only then that they learned that the cooperation between Sony Music and Yike was actually in the context of the latter's upcoming sale to Apple.

Shizuo Takajo is old and weak, unable to speak.

Fang Zhuo's anger was still lingering, and he lightly slapped his right hand on the table: "Look at the people here, who is not a senior executive of the Sony Group, and who is not a prominent figure? Ibuka Dai and Morita Akio have left the group in your hands. , but ended up like this!"

"Shizuo Takajo, you are ashamed of Sony, you are ashamed of Ibuka, and you are ashamed of Akio Morita!"

Fang Zhuo looked at the group of Sony executives across from him and shook his head slightly: "And you, you are all sitting in the conference room with a high-sounding appearance. Are you better than Shizuo Takajo?"

"As I sit here today, I understand more and more."

"The trouble that worries Sony is not outside, but within the group!"

"It's right here in the Sony conference room!"

"Among Sony's external directors and internal directors!"

"If you suck a little, Sony will suck! If you suck all, Sony will go bankrupt sooner or later!"

Fang Zhuo lowered his voice and said regretfully: "You should take a good look at Sony's current situation, take a good look at this brand of the group, and take a look at Mr. Dahe who has retired and was forced by you to come!"

After Yike President and Sony Music Foreign Director finished speaking, there was silence in the conference room for a long time.

These words are sincere and sincere...

But something feels wrong.

Oh, I know, it would be nice if it was said in Japanese.

Not to mention Takajo Shizuo, not to mention Nobuyuki I, even Stringer, who was praised twice in the middle, was shocked. Mr. Fang's impassioned gesture was so...so impassioned!

The last time I was so impassioned was the last time!

The conference room was as quiet as Ibuka and Akio Morita.

Fang Zhuohun didn't care that no one applauded him, he calmly picked up the cup and moistened his throat.

Norio Ohga, who was the most qualified to answer the call, spoke up. After all, Sony was still fine when he handed over Sony to Nobuyuki Dei, although after his retirement he also tried to prevent Nobuyuki Dei from selling his life insurance business involving US$5 billion to GE Capital. The company's work.

But the Sony Group has fallen into its current situation, and the leader must take responsibility.

"Ibuka and Morita are watching us." Norio Ohga also used dead people to occupy the high ground and said slowly, "Mr. Fang is right, everyone here, including me, should be responsible for Sony's current situation. "

By saying this, he not only gained the right to speak from the perspective of accountability, but also once again showed his goodwill to the Stringer faction - wasn't this Chinese person nominated by Stringer?

In Norio Ohga's view, although the Chinese people's identity is somewhat misplaced, the meaning behind their words is correct.

With the size and resources of Sony Group, if it wants to build an Internet music player, whether it is Yike or Apple, who can resist it?

There were serious problems within the group, and it was too slow to respond to the changes of the times. That's why Apple and Yike are now there. What's the use of just blaming a Chinese person?

Moreover, now that the matter has come to this, Sony, which is in trouble, needs to cooperate rather than make enemies.

Norio Ohga didn't want to show off his sword now, but since the Chinese people have heated up the atmosphere for this reason, now is more appropriate.

He looked around, exchanged glances with Stringer, and finally stared at the silent Nobuyuki Idei, and proposed his preferred candidate for president: "Stringer's vote just now has been recognized by everyone. Considering Sony's complex business, I think it is appropriate for Kutaragi Ken to serve as president."

"What do you think?"

Norio Ohga threw out Kutaragi Ken's appeal.

Everyone in the conference room was not surprised by such a nomination. These two came in together, but they were a little surprised that the communication between Idei and Dahe was not in place, and the appointment of the president was only discussed on this occasion.

"How about it?"

Stringer saw everyone whispering and took the opportunity to ask Mr. Fang in a low voice.

Norio Ohga has shown goodwill twice in a row since he came in, nominating himself and affirming Mr. Fang. Moreover, the chairman's vote passed surprisingly quickly - no matter how shocking it is, passing means passing.

In this way, it seems that we can also have a hand in the appointment of the president.

However, I am still worried about whether the results can be changed, and whether this will lead to another turbulent change in the appointment of chairman at the shareholders' meeting.

"Dry."

Fang Zhuo only replied one word.

Judging from my own judgment, I can do it.

As for whether you can win, it depends on what happens next.

Anyway, Stringer came to him to make suggestions. At this time, it was either work or not, and it was not suitable to be in the fog. If he really couldn't win, he would abandon Sony and come to Yike.

Stringer was infected by Mr. Fang's calm demeanor. He weighed in his mind for a few seconds and finally made the final decision.

The chatter in the conference room continued.

Nobuyuki Idei coughed slightly, and the sound in the conference room suddenly fell silent.

The contrast between the second before and after is particularly strong.

Stringer's decision that he had just made suddenly retracted a bit. It seemed that Idei's parental authority really existed and was effective.

"I think Nakahachi Ryoharu is more suitable for the position of president." Nobuyuki Idei said nothing more, just such a simple sentence.

Ryoharu Nakahata is currently the Vice President of Sony Group.

Ken Kutaragi is currently the president of Sony Electronics Entertainment.

Both of them hold high positions of authority, but the former has a relatively remote resume within the group, while the latter can be said to have "opened up a sunny avenue for Sony in the field of video games."

It seems that Kutaragi Ken is more dazzling.

However, the position of president is not just about these. Ryoji Nakahachi has a better reputation and personal personality than Ken Kutaragi.

Due to Norio Ohga's status, Nobuyuki Idei didn't want to delay at all and said directly: "Since you have different opinions, let's vote."

Be straightforward and confident that you will have enough votes.

When Norio Ohga saw this, he talked a bit about Kutaragi Ken's achievements. At present, the PS game console is still a best-seller.

When Fang Zhuo saw an old guy coming out to interrupt, he gave Stringer a look - Come on, why don't you do this?

Stringer returned a hesitant look.

Fang Zhuo nodded.

Stringer didn't understand why Mr. Fang nodded.

Then, seconds later, he understood.

"Since there are two candidates, and since it is related to the future development of Sony Group, I am very curious about what strategic plans both of them have." Fang Zhuo's words followed Norio Ohga.

Stringer sighed in his heart, Mr. Fang had misunderstood the meaning of his eyes.

The question from the Chinese people is actually what it should be.

Sony's foreign directors, who had been silent and just raised their hands to vote for Stringer, also stood with Stringer's friends and believed that they should really listen to the two president candidates' thoughts on Sony's future.

Sony now does not need to maintain its status, but needs to shoulder the task of revival.

Seeing this, Nobuyuki Idei nodded.

Fang Zhuo gave Nakabachi Ryoji, who was directly opposite him, an encouraging look.

"As for the future of the group, we want to discuss this, and we have to mention the example that Nissan has given us." Ryoji Nakahachi did not have stage fright. He had an exchange when he visited Stringer yesterday and also mentioned Nissan. It is really like this The situation of Japanese car companies and Sony is really similar.

"We have implemented a series of basic reform measures in the past two years, which have improved the decline of the group's business to a certain extent. We must first solve the internal coordination mechanism before we can respond innovatively to the outside world."

Ryoharu Nakahachi first affirmed the series of basic reform measures "Transformation 60" proposed by Nobuyuki Dei, and then went one step further and continued: "But I think this is not enough."

"Nissan's ability to develop again lies in the fact that they have cut out the parts that were constantly losing blood. Their large-scale restructuring and layoffs have given the company a new lease of life."

"We at Sony should do the same. We must change the traditional 'technology-based' concept and pay more attention to marketing and capital operations. This is the group's top priority."

Ryoji Nakahachi made a groundbreaking statement that he would not normally mention.

The technology-based approach is outdated and needs to be changed, and the status of marketing and capital must be raised!

This is a cognition and expression closer to Westernization.

Several foreign directors nodded slightly, which sounded somewhat similar to Stringer's views.

Ryoji Nakaba continued to elaborate, mentioning the performance of some products and business lines, and believed that they should be divested to reduce the burden on the group. This was also the exchange he had with Stringer yesterday.

Nobuyuki Idei did not comment, but he also believed that this was in common with Stringer's views and should be supported by the foreign directors.

He did not ask the foreign directors, but directly asked Stringer, who was elected by the foreign directors: "What do you think?"

Stringer hesitated and thought silently.

Zhongbo Liangzhi was slightly startled, and frowned when he came out of the well.

At this time, Kutaragi Ken said: "Technology-oriented has been set by Mr. Ibuka and Mr. Morita since the founding of the company, and it is also the core of Sony's current situation. Are we going to abandon our advantages in today's declining situation? ?”

"Transformation 60 is enough!"

"Since the year before last, we have strengthened group procurement management, centralized purchased systems, and integrated outsourcing service functions."

"What we need to do now is to continue to deepen the group's structural reform and fundamentally reform the operating profit structure."

What Kutaragi said is the core of the "Transformation 60" plan proposed by Nobuyuki Idei.

His statement was beyond the expectations of most people. Where was the irritable and anti-Dejing Kudo?

Upon seeing this, Norio Ohga immediately commented on this narrative.

The seventy-five-year-old man stopped nagging and evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of "Transformation 60" in various aspects one by one, which seemed to be a final word for Nobuyuki Dei's management.

Nobuyuki Idei had to raise his voice this time and once again threw the question to Stringer, the representative of the foreign directors, and asked for the second time: "What do you think of their thinking about Sony's future?"

Stringer still said nothing.

Fang Zhuo gave a surprised look, raised his hand to drink tea and put the teacup on the table with a soft sound.

"Nakaba good governance is too radical."

Stringer finally made a comment that was about to refuse but the implication was very obvious, he wanted more time.

Norio Ohga breathed a sigh of relief.

Nobuyuki Idei was extremely shocked.

Ryoji Nakabachi looked at Stringer in shock, his face full of disbelief, "Yes, what did we agree to yesterday?"

He raised his head slightly, uttered the word "you", and stopped the impulse, but his eyes were full of complexity.

Fang Zhuo raised his hand to drink tea again, admiring this scene.

The wrongdoer and his scumbag chairman.

Ryoharu Nakahachi stopped looking at Stringer, turned to look at Nobuyuki Idei, and then looked at the foreign directors opposite, and said bluntly: "If we want to simply continue the previous measures, why do we need to appoint a foreign chairman?"

“Aren’t Nissan’s reforms considered radical?”

"Sony has reached a point where it has to change."

Stringer was dissed.

Fang Zhuo came here today to help his friend, how could he see such a scene.

"Is Stringer wrong to say you are radical?"

"Transformation 60 already has plans to lay off 20,000 people within three years. Are you going to lay off more people on this basis?"

"Zhongbo, you are noble, you are amazing, and you use the work of your brothers and sisters in the name of change!"

Stringer breathed a sigh of relief, Mr. Fang was able to deal with it, and he was really good at it.

He did not go to see the well or Zhongbo, but only to the internal and external directors, and stated: "I think the reform measures of Transformation 60 are sufficient for the time being. What we need to do now is integration rather than abolition."

"We need to build on basic components such as semiconductors and strengthen the competitiveness of Sony's products."

"From this point of view, I think Kutaragi Ken is the most suitable candidate."

Stringer made a different sound than Nobuyuki Dei.

Oga comes to the board of directors, Idei chooses his successor, Nakahachi becomes enterprising, Kudo suddenly becomes mature and steady, Chinese people are like their own brothers, and Americans stand up against their parents.

Sony's conference room fell into a strange discussion atmosphere.