Top of the Great Era

Chapter 2104 Water Depth
Silicon Valley is probably the only place where IQ can compete with Wall Street, so Wall Street's methods can kill the Quartet in other fields, so you have to be careful when you come to Silicon Valley.

Even if it is not done well, it will be tightly controlled by Silicon Valley.

For example, when Google went public, it played Wall Street with applause.Although Yahoo is in decline, it is also a real Silicon Valley technology giant.

Carl Icahn has been here for more than half a month.

The most ironic thing is that he is still too embarrassed to make it public, and can only secretly support the Yahoo management team behind the scenes to compete with Yang Zhiyuan for agency rights.

Because he was a bit miserable in 08, he almost publicly surrendered to Yang Zhiyuan.

This time I am really embarrassed to go up again.

However, his general thinking has not changed.

As far as the current period is concerned, the dismemberment of Yahoo is the best choice for the interests of shareholders. He has been advising Yahoo's management team behind the scenes.

On this day, Zhou Buqi came to see him and talk about PayPal.

The location is in a very ordinary cafe on Sand Hill Road.

This is the different style between Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Business exchanges on Wall Street generally choose very high-end places, and a bottle of red wine costs hundreds of dollars.

It's different here in Silicon Valley, just ordinary restaurants and coffee shops.

This is related to the overall business environment.

There are no small people on Wall Street, or in other words, small people have no chance to leap to the sky at all, and need to work their way up from the bottom.

Silicon Valley is different. Many entrepreneurs are poor and may even pay the rent, but they are still qualified to sit with the top investors and discuss business.

In comparison, Zhou Buqi prefers the environment in Silicon Valley, which is more down-to-earth and less class-oriented.

Sitting in the car, Zhou Buqi was accompanied by Ning Lu, and went to the coffee shop together.

On the way, I received a call from Boss Ma.

"What's the matter?"

Zhou Buqi took the phone from Ning Lu and asked lazily.

Boss Ma said: "Yahoo's big move, do you know?"

Zhou Buqi said: "What do I know? Didn't you let me participate? I'll stay away, so as not to cause trouble for you and affect your big plan?"

Boss Ma smiled and said, "This is the best way. No matter what happens, you don't get involved. You just go to raise money and prepare to take over Ali's stock."

Zhou Buqi was a little surprised, "Huh? We've finished talking so soon?"

Boss Ma said: "It's still early, it's very complicated, Yang Zhiyuan may be completely kicked out by Yahoo..."

"Ah?" Zhou Buqi was stunned, "Then you still have a chance?"

Boss Ma was very relaxed and said with a smile: "It's okay. Before he leaves Yahoo's board of directors, he has to arrange some things first, otherwise he won't leave Yahoo's board of directors. He doesn't want to leave, and no one can do anything about him. It is estimated that there must be some compromises on both sides.”

"What compromise?"

Although Zhou Buqi didn't participate in it, he could already feel some swords and swords in Yahoo's board of directors from Boss Ma's words.

Boss Ma hesitated for a moment, "I'll tell you something, don't make it public."

"it is good."

"Yahoo's new CEO candidate may be confirmed."

"Really? Who?"

Zhou Buqi's energy was instantly lifted.

The proxy battle of Yahoo's board of directors at this stage is mainly about the candidate for the new CEO.The management side represented by Yang Zhiyuan has a favorite candidate, and the management side represented by the Thirdpoint hedge fund also has a favorite candidate.

Who to choose?

Listening to Boss Ma's tone, it seems that the two sides have made a certain compromise on this candidate.

Could it be that Yang Zhiyuan asked to hire a new CEO he likes at the cost of resigning from Yahoo's board of directors and giving up all Yahoo positions?

It seems really possible!
Boss Ma said: "Scott Thompson."

Zhou Buqi had never heard of this character before, "What are you doing?"

Boss Ma said: "He was the CEO of PayPal before."

……

Zhou Buqi walked into the coffee shop, but he still hasn't recovered from the shocking news of Boss Ma.

Some trance.

Then, I saw an old man with a white beard, stood up from a distance, and waved to this side, "Zhou! Here!"

Walking over and sitting down opposite the white-bearded old man, he still felt that the water in this drama was too deep.Fortunately, he was kind-hearted and didn't want to affect Boss Ma's control over Ali for personal gain, so he accepted Boss Ma's suggestion and didn't get involved.

If this is involved, I'm afraid it will really be flooded.

The operations of various forces here are really intertwined and complicated.

The friendly-looking Carl Icahn sitting across from him seems to be the biggest trader behind it.In a game of chess, both Yahoo and PayPal were included.

No wonder PayPal is doing so well now, but it suddenly wants to change the CEO.

Carl Icahn has a bad reputation, but his self-cultivation is not bad. He said with a smile: "Mr. Zhou, it seems that you are not in a good state?"

Zhou Buqi quickly withdrew his thoughts and looked around, "No, I just think it's a bit noisy here."

Carl Icahn looked at him meaningfully, "Why don't you change to a quiet place? I thought that in the Internet industry, there are really no secrets as it is said."

Meeting Carl Icahn at this stage is really taboo.

Everyone in the industry knows that this guy has bad intentions for Yahoo and wants to dismember the Internet giant.

If Zhou Buqi met him at this time, it would easily lead to misunderstanding.

Fortunately, Zhou Buqi acted more cautiously.

After coming to the United States, he has never had any contact with Yahoo. No matter whether it is Yahoo's management or management, he will not have a bad impression of him, and that is enough.

As for the outside world, fortune and misfortune depend on each other.

Zhou Buqi said with a smile: "If people really have some misunderstandings, maybe it's a good thing."

"A good thing?" Carl Icahn's eyes lit up, very interested, "How can it be a good thing?"

Zhou Buqi said: "I want to exchange some ideas about PayPal with you, and I said it in the email before. If we meet here, maybe eBay will mistakenly think that we are talking about some Yahoo cases."

Carl Icahn was particularly pleased.

I think this young man is very smart and good at talking.

This is actually the reason why he chose to meet at such a place, which is somewhat irresponsible for Zhou Buqi.But this kid can quickly find the logical line, his reaction is really fast, and his personality is also good.

Carl Icahn nodded. "Are you interested in PayPal? A financial investment, or a strategic investment?"

Zhou Buqi said: "In the name of the company, Ziweixing International."

Carl Icahn said: "That is to start some cooperation with PayPal at the strategic level. I don't know the specific situation, but I trust your judgment."

Zhou Buqi laughed and said, "I heard that PayPal is short of money in its account."

Carl Icahn said: "Yes, the good news is that PayPal's debt rating is relatively high."

The higher the debt rating, the lower the interest rate on the loan.

In other words, PayPal can choose debt financing to raise funds, just like what Ziweixing International is doing now, and has issued a total of 65 billion US dollars in corporate bonds.

Zhou Buqi frowned, "However, the current financial market is relatively cautious, and it is not easy for PayPal to issue bonds. Either short-term bonds, or the scale is very limited. A company as big as Ziweixing International only borrowed 65 billion US dollars in debt. It’s kind of hard to borrow.”

Carl Icahn said: "Short-term debt is enough, and we can survive the current period first. After a few years when the capital market environment improves, financing will be easier."

Zhou Buqi said in a low voice: "I don't think PayPal should issue bonds, it's not in your interest."

Carl Icahn laughed.

(End of this chapter)