Chapter 543 The Charisma of the Richest Man
Ma Jieke stared intently at the newly released regulatory announcement on the computer screen, his heart filled with turmoil.
After a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a few words, a mixture of disbelief and admiration: "Internet banking! Song Ci, what a brilliant move! This one is a brilliant move!"
Cai Zhongxin, who was sitting opposite him, habitually pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose and said, "I asked someone to inquire about it. There is a lot of controversy and resistance within the central bank regarding the establishment of MyBank.
In the end, it was the top management who overcame all objections and made the final decision. It seems that the efforts Song Ci made to obtain this banking license were far beyond imagination.
"Once they get their banking license, Tengda Group will be even more powerful!" Ma Jieke sighed. "Payment, wealth management, credit... they can provide a full range of financial services.
A terrifyingly complete financial ecosystem is about to take shape. Alipay will face unprecedented pressure.”
"Jack, with Alipay's deep user base and transaction scenarios, can we also try to apply..." Cai Zhongxin pondered, trying to find a way out.
Before he finished speaking, Ma Jieke shook his head and interrupted, "That's a dead end! The core of the approval of MYbank is its pilot program and innovation."
Until this new Internet banking model is fully verified by the market and its potential risks are fully assessed, there is no way that regulators will open a second loophole.
In the short term, the possibility of Alibaba obtaining a banking license is extremely slim.”
"In that case, we can only wait and see and wait for the next opportunity?" Cai Zhongxin frowned even tighter.
"Wait? No, we can't wait passively!" Majieke sat up straight, and the gloom in his eyes was replaced by a burning light.
He repeatedly chewed over the key words in the announcement, "'Innovation'! 'Pilot'! ... If Tenda can innovate, why can't Alibaba!
The three pillars of finance are banking, insurance, and securities. Since we can have internet banks, why can't we have...internet insurance companies?!
"Internet insurance company?!" Cai Zhongxin was stunned at first, then his eyes flashed with amazement, and he applauded Ma Jieke's wild yet core idea.
But his natural caution immediately took over. "The idea is indeed very revolutionary, but will the regulatory hurdle be easier than for banks? The barriers to entry in the insurance industry are just as strict."
"Whether they will agree or not, how can we know unless we try? It's better to act than to talk!" Ma Jieke's mind suddenly became clear, as if he saw a new route in the fog.
He stood up excitedly, paced around the office, and spoke quickly, "I've done research and found that the operating model of traditional insurance companies is extremely burdensome.
Offline outlets and agent teams, these fixed costs account for 30% or even more of the premium!
If we could establish a pure Internet insurance company, all processes including product design, insurance, underwriting, claims settlement and customer service could be completed online.
By cutting out these unnecessary intermediate links and offline heavy assets, operating costs will be greatly reduced!
This not only provides cheaper insurance products, but also creates new types of insurance that did not exist before.
There is huge potential in the market here, it is a real blue ocean!"
Cai Zhongxin listened attentively, his brain working rapidly. Combining Alibaba's ecological advantages, he quickly found a breakthrough point:
“I agree! Perhaps we can start with property insurance, especially insurance that is closely integrated with e-commerce scenarios.
There are millions of small and medium-sized enterprises and individual sellers on Taobao, and they have huge demand for property insurance and logistics insurance.
Just a return shipping insurance, if properly purchased, can resolve disputes between buyers and sellers over shipping costs when returning goods, which will be of great benefit to Taobao!"
"That's right! Shigenobu, you've seen the key!" Majieke clapped his hands heavily, his face filled with excitement at having found the direction.
"Tenda Technology has always prided itself on being innovation-driven, and Alibaba should be no different! We can't just passively follow; we must proactively lead!"
His expression immediately turned serious, and his tone was solemn, "However, the birth of a new thing will inevitably lead to opposition from the old forces.
The launch of Yu'ebao dented the banks' market, and Alipay was subsequently targeted. That experience was a pricey lesson learned.
We have learned from past mistakes, so we must not be too reckless when entering the internet insurance market.
We need to find a strong and like-minded ally to jointly carry the banner of innovation and share the risks and pressures."
Several major domestic insurance groups are all financial giants with deep roots, and their energy and influence are in no way inferior to that of the banking industry.
Cai Zhongxin nodded slightly, quickly sorting out the major insurance giants in his mind, and after a moment's deliberation, he spoke:
"In the domestic insurance industry, the three leading companies are PICC, CPIC, and Ping An. If we want to cooperate, we need to choose one of these three."
Ma Jie Ke pondered for a long time, weighed the pros and cons, and finally made a decision: "Be safe!
PICC and CPIC are both large state-owned enterprises whose management style is mainly based on stability. It is extremely difficult to convince them to take the disruptive step of Internet insurance.
Ping An Insurance is also a large company, but its leader, Mr. Ma, is known as a 'fintech pioneer,' with an open mind and great drive."
"Ping An is indeed an excellent choice," Joseph Tsai said, concluding, "Mr. Ma is forward-thinking, bold, and daring. He was early in developing the integration of finance and technology. There is great potential for collaboration with Ping An."
"Okay! Shigenobu, I'll leave the important task of contacting Ping An to you." Ma Jieke looked at his most capable partner eagerly.
"Early tomorrow morning, I will hold an executive meeting to announce the establishment of a preparatory committee for an internet insurance company and fully promote this matter."
Cai Chongxin nodded seriously and was about to start detailing the implementation plan when a quick knock on the door interrupted their private conversation.
"Come in."
The office door opened, and He Xiaopeng walked in calmly. Seeing the two key figures present, he greeted them respectfully, "Mr. Ma, Mr. Cai."
"Xiaopeng is here, come and sit here." Ma Jieke smiled warmly and pointed to the sofa next to him.
He has always had high expectations for this technical giant who was introduced to Alibaba through the acquisition of UC.
Cai Zhongxin also asked gently, "Mr. He, how has your work been going recently? How do you feel about being part of Alibaba?"
"It went very smoothly! Thank you, Mr. Cai, for your concern." He Xiaopeng sat down on the sofa and said sincerely, "Ali is truly a passionate and combative team. The pace is fast and it keeps us motivated."
"I'm glad everything went well." Ma Jieke said kindly and encouragingly, "Xiaopeng, if you encounter any problems at work or have any new ideas, please feel free to contact me.
At Alibaba, we must be brave enough to raise different opinions and express them boldly. We need fresh blood like you to break the mold and keep the organization vibrant and agile."
These words are no compliments. In the PC era, Alibaba established its undisputed dominance through super platforms such as Taobao and Tmall.
However, in the wave of transformation to mobile Internet, there is still a lack of a powerful traffic entrance.
Looking at the entire mobile Internet ecosystem, the main traffic entrances, WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao... are almost all controlled by Tenda Technology.
The traffic anxiety on Taobao’s mobile terminal has always been a “heartache” for Ma Jieke.
UC Browser, as the world's most widely used mobile browser, occupies an extremely important traffic entrance on the mobile terminal.
Although the acquisition of UC came at a huge cost, it finally gave Alibaba a stable mobile traffic pool that can divert traffic to various mobile applications.
This finally allowed him to put his mind at ease, and he no longer had to worry about traffic day and night.
Cai Zhongxin also encouraged: "Mr. He, the future layout and breakthrough of the group in the mobile sector depends on you.
I hope you can deeply integrate UC Browser with Shenma Search as soon as possible and connect it to Alibaba's e-commerce, advertising, and content ecosystem.
Once the mobile ecosystem of browser + search + content + e-commerce is closed, we will be more confident when facing the social matrix combination of Tencent WeChat + Weibo."
"Mr. Ma and Mr. Cai, please rest assured. I will do my best to quickly promote the integration of UC and Alibaba's ecosystem." He Xiaopeng quickly and solemnly agreed.
But then, a hint of hesitation flashed across his face, and his lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
Ma Jieke keenly caught the subtle change in his expression and said sternly, "Xiaopeng, I just said that at Alibaba, you have to be brave enough to speak up!
If you have any ideas, don't hesitate to bring them up! We don't need timid executors, but leaders who can stand on their own feet and have a strategic vision!"
Feeling the sincerity and encouragement in Majieke's words, He Xiaopeng took a deep breath, nodded, and his expression became extremely serious:
"Mr. Ma, since you put it that way, I'll be frank. Alibaba's top priority isn't ecosystem integration. There's something more important and fundamental that we must address immediately."
"Oh?" Ma Jie was startled when he heard that. He exchanged glances with Cai Zhongxin and humbly asked for advice. "Xiaopeng, please speak frankly. I'm all ears."
He Xiaopeng sensed Majie's extraordinary respect and attention, and after a moment's hesitation, he solemnly responded:
"Mr. Ma, during the time I joined Alibaba, I gained an in-depth understanding of the group's various businesses and the underlying technical support systems.
I've discovered something that worries me deeply. What the group lacks most is a high-precision, scenario-based digital map.
"map?!"
"Yes! It's the map!"
He Xiaopeng said firmly, "It's not a simple map that can only show a rough location and path, but a product like AutoNavi 3D Map and Baidu Panorama Map.
In comparison, Alibaba's map products appear too crude and outdated in terms of data accuracy, update frequency, and feature richness."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Today, digital maps have become the underlying pillar of the entire mobile Internet business.
E-commerce, social networking, travel, food delivery...all rely heavily on accurate, real-time, and rich geographic location information and services.
Without a top-notch digital map as support, many businesses simply cannot be carried out effectively.”
He Xiaopeng went a step further and gave an example that Ma Jieke was all too familiar with: "Take the Cainiao Network that you just integrated.
Without high-precision maps to support route optimization, delivery would rely solely on the courier's familiarity with the area, leading to inefficient delivery."
Ma Jieke's expression shifted from initial surprise to deep thought, and then to an extremely solemn expression. "Xiaopeng, today's analysis is truly enlightening!"
His words were filled with fear and relief: "Ali ignored the most basic and fundamental digital map, which was an extremely serious and dangerous strategic mistake!
Fortunately, you saw through it and raised this question in time. Now it’s not too late! Xiaopeng, thank you!
He Xiaopeng humbly said, "Mr. Ma, your words are too kind. I really don't deserve them. Now I am also a member of Alibaba. This is my responsibility and duty."
"The group was not unaware of the importance of maps before and also invested resources in research and development," Cai Zhongxin added calmly.
"But objectively speaking, there is indeed a clear gap between our technology accumulation and data accuracy and those of the market-leading Amap and Baidu Maps.
It now appears that this shortcoming must be addressed immediately and elevated to the core strategic level of the group."
He looked at Ma Jieke and suggested, "Boss Ma, don't overthink things. I suggest we put the important task of forming a team to develop high-precision maps under the responsibility of Boss He."
He Xiaopeng sensed the trust and commitment in Majieke's eyes and, without hesitation, immediately expressed his position:
"Mr. Ma, I'm willing to build a high-precision digital map product for Alibaba that's as good as, or even better than, any competitor on the market!"
"Good! That's great!" Ma Jieke laughed and clapped his hands, his worried look gone. "Then I'll leave this matter entirely to you, Xiaopeng!
If you need people, I'll give them to you. If you need money, I'll give you money. If you need any resources, just report it to me! As for the name of this map..."
After a brief thought, he decided, "It was born out of your insight and is closely related to the UC Mobile Business Group. Let's call it 'UC Map'!"
"UC Maps..." He Xiaopeng repeated the name, feeling the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. "Don't worry, Mr. Ma. I, He Xiaopeng, will do my best!"
The solid wooden door of the office closed quietly behind him. He Xiaopeng let out a long sigh, and his tense nerves relaxed instantly.
Although Ma Jieke treated him with great courtesy, entrusted him with important tasks, and praised him with his words, he knew what was going on.
After all, he is an "outsider", the "fresh blood" that joined Alibaba through acquisition, rather than the direct descendant that Ma Jie brought up through all the difficulties.
There is a distinction between close and distant relationships, and this is an unavoidable undercurrent within any organization.
Therefore, whenever he faced the head of the group, he would be extremely alert, speak carefully, and use all his energy.
I strolled to the end of the corridor when my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw the words "Yang Chunlei" pop up on the screen.
"Spring Thunder." He Xiaopeng said with a familiar teasing tone, "You called me, have you finally made up your mind and accepted my invitation?"
Yang Chunlei's voice came from the other end of the phone. Unlike his usual hesitation, it sounded unusually solemn and resolute:
"Mr. He, Xia Heng, He Tao, and I have discussed this over and over again and have decided to follow you! The three of us will accompany you on this journey of new energy vehicle manufacturing!"
Although he had a premonition in his heart, He Xiaopeng was ecstatic when he heard this clear answer.
"However, Mr. He, you understand that we are all technical personnel and we still have projects to complete at GAC. The handover of work will take time, and it will probably take some time for us to officially resign."
"I understand! I totally understand!" He Xiaopeng responded repeatedly, his tone full of tolerance and joy.
"There's no rush. You should first handle your respective tasks properly and thoroughly. I can wait."
"Thank you, Mr. He, for your understanding! It's settled then. We will complete the handover as soon as possible, and then we will go to Hangzhou to meet you and discuss the follow-up plan in detail."
"It's a deal! I'll wait for you!"
After the call ended, He Xiaopeng's face was filled with undisguised excitement that was almost overflowing.
A huge motivation surged in my heart.
He is only 36 years old this year, which is the golden age when a man's experience, energy and courage are at their peak.
He founded UC and sold it to Alibaba in his early years, which enabled him to achieve financial freedom long ago. The money in his account could not be spent in several lifetimes.
But what burned in his heart was not just the pursuit of wealth, but also a blazing fire of wanting to build a new career with his own hands.
The time I spent working at Alibaba was more of a valuable transitional stage than the destination of my career.
A training ground for him to accumulate broader connections and deeper industry insights.
Since the successful sale of UC, the idea of starting a second business has never been extinguished, and I am constantly searching for the next track worth pursuing with all my strength.
Ultimately, the goal was set on new energy vehicle manufacturing, a field full of infinite possibilities but also fraught with thorns.
However, the automotive industry is, after all, a cutting-edge industry that is extremely intensive in capital, talent, and technology, and the threshold is extremely high.
Even though he was extremely ambitious, he could not help but feel a bit hesitant and cautious deep down in his heart.
But just a few days ago, when Dewen Manufacturing, another company under the name of Song Ci, the head of Tenda Technology, was completely exposed and its car manufacturing plan was made public, the last bit of hesitation in He Xiaopeng's heart disappeared.
With the direction set, all that remained was finding the right people. He knew he was good at products, marketing, and strategy, but not at the core technologies of car manufacturing, such as the "three electrics."
Therefore, they turned their attention to GAC, a major player in the domestic automobile manufacturing industry. After several twists and turns, they found Yang Chunlei, Xia Heng and He Tao, three senior talents with many years of experience in the traditional automobile field and solid technical skills.
"No matter how I described the blueprint and analyzed the market prospects, the three of them were always worried, thinking the risks were too great and the future was uncertain."
He Xiaopeng recalled the difficulties in previous communication and couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly.
"As it turned out, the news of Song Ci making cars was like a powerful catalyst. Their attitude did a complete 180-degree turn... It's really touching."
This is the enormous reputation and appeal of top entrepreneurs! Needless to say, action itself is the loudest clarion call and the most powerful endorsement.
(End of this chapter)
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