Chapter 329
Chapter 329 Thunder and Rain
Brian Roberts frowned, and asked the marketing staff who was inquiring about the news.
As soon as I arrived in San Jose, I heard that Enron had already arrived one step ahead and had already talked with Song Yang. This is not good news for Comcast.
And hearing that this time, giants like Microsoft and General Electric were robbing Comcast for business, which made Brian Roberts feel a little worried for a while.
Comcast has no advantage at all in front of giants such as Enron, Microsoft, and General Electric.
The sky-high price to take over ICQ, the entire Silicon Valley is paying attention to ICQ's financing this time. Once the negotiation is completed this time, it means that the ceiling of the Internet industry has been completely broken.
Silicon Valley media are also very concerned about ICQ this time. Many media and reporters are staying downstairs in ICQ.
Immelt, representing General Electric, was surrounded by the media as soon as he got out of the car. Now Immelt is not the one who was scolded, but the next The heir to the empire.
Immelt is a person favored by Welch. Since joining General Electric, Immelt has been promoted all the way. Until now, it is basically clear to the outside world that Immelt is Welch's new choice for General Electric. Head.
However, this world is always full of a lot of metaphysics. For example, a certain NBA guy is touted as the **** of basketball. In the player era, the old hooligan was indeed unstoppable on the court, but when the old hooligan became the ball The team owner, the way he selects players is really hot...
And this law, placed on Welch, can also take effect. As a way to turn the tide, save General Electric, a company that is on the verge of bankruptcy, and bring the market value of General Electric from 12 billion US dollars all the way. With more than 300 billion U.S. dollars, Welch has acquired 993 companies in the past 20 years. Welch's career is enough to be called a legend.
But people make mistakes and horses make mistakes. I'm afraid Welch would never have thought of who he carefully selected as the head of the General Electric empire.
But now, Immelt is still being sought after. Whether it is the media or American companies, they all want to have a relationship with the future head of the General Electric empire!
"Mr. Immelt, President Welch, is the Internet a new plan?"
"Will General Electric acquire ICQ or other Internet companies?"
"Will GE transform?"
The media caught Immelt and asked all kinds of questions. According to the domineering style of General Electric and Welch, if you enter an industry, you must become the leader of this industry.
It's like being in the media industry. The outside world has never seen General Electric, the world's manufacturing giant, involved with the media industry, but Welch still did it.
Ten years ago, General Electric spent $6.3 billion to acquire NBC, and built NBC into a media giant that kept pace with CBS and ABC.
Now hearing that General Electric wants to test the Internet industry, the media can't help but think about it. According to Welch's style and GE's strength, there is no reason to sprinkle some water on the Internet industry. For General Electric, Basically pointless.
Only then did the media ask Immelt if General Electric was holding back a big move, or simply came to acquire ICQ, and repeat the scene when it acquired NBC. After the acquisition of ICQ, with the help of ICQ, General Electric Electric has become a giant in the Internet industry!
"I am here this time to represent General Electric and invest in ICQ, one of the best Internet companies in Silicon Valley!"
Immelt said to the media in front of him in a personable manner, different from Welch's vigorous and aggressive, even a bit aggressive, Immelt always has a smile on his face, he has a gentle personality, and General Electric The relationship between the top and bottom is good, and the relationship with the media is also good. The media rarely report negative news about Immelt. They all think that he will be the best head of General Electric after Welch!
Immelt below is surrounded by reporters and media. In the ICQ office building, Song Yang, Jeff Skilling, and old acquaintances Greg Maffei and Todd who came on behalf of Microsoft are all standing at the moment. Beside the glass, looking downstairs.
"It seems that General Electric is bound to win this time!"
Greg Maffei looked at the scene downstairs and said with a smile that the last acquisition of Hotmail mailboxes was when Greg Maffei, the chief financial officer of Microsoft, and Todd, the president of the public relations department, came to talk with Song Yang.
This time, Microsoft repeated its old tricks and sent these two people here. After dealing with Song Yang for so long, Greg Maffey, Todd and Song Yang were already familiar with each other, so they didn't have any scruples.
Todd held a cup of coffee, drank it unhurriedly, and talked to Song Yang and others about some rumors he had heard, "It seems that after four years, it is Immelt who we need to deal with General Electric. President!"
For such a behemoth as General Electric, the internal competition is naturally extremely fierce. It is no exaggeration to say that the competition for the position of President of General Electric is enough to make a 60-episode Gongdou movie.
Even the outside world, the interest in the head of General Electric is not weaker than that of a general election, and the media has reported numerous articles. After all, this is the head of a company with hundreds of billions of dollars.
Not only people inside General Electric are secretly wrestling, but even Wall Street institutions are stirring up trouble. There are several other people who are competing with Immelt for the president of General Electric, including General Energy President Nardelli and General Engines Group President Mike. Nani et al.
But Todd, who has been in public relations for so many years, has a vicious vision. This Welch sent Immelt over. For Todd, he can basically confirm Welch's mind.
"Song, ICQ gave up too little equity this time!"
Before Immelt came up, Greg Maffey said bluntly to Song Yang that Microsoft has nothing to taboo, and now Microsoft and Song Yang are allies in name.
Pointing to Jeff Skilling on one side, and then pointing downstairs, Greg Maffei said to Song Yang, "Mr. Bill Gates intends to let Microsoft and Song you continue to cooperate, but 5 % of the equity is really..."
Enron, Microsoft, General Electric, and Comcast, if the four giants come to compete for the 5% stake in ICQ, they will have to use their brains.
Obviously, this time, several companies came here not only to get that little equity, otherwise they would not have sent people like Brian and Immelt.
Song Yang just smiled when he heard Greg Maffey's "complaint". This time, he brought so many companies here to raise the price for ICQ, otherwise why would he spend so much effort.
Glancing at the time, it was almost time for negotiations, Song Yang glanced at Jeff Skilling calmly, and the two looked at each other calmly, Greg Maffey, Todd Seeing this scene in their eyes, both of them couldn't help frowning.
I don't know what kind of agreement Song Yang and the Enron company behind Jeff Skilling have reached, but it is obvious that the two parties have already hooked up.
Today's negotiating lineup is very strong. ICQ's executives, together with Enron, Comcast, Microsoft, General Electric and other teams, packed ICQ's originally large conference room to the brim.
In the conference room, the one that attracted the most attention and became the focus was not ICQ, Microsoft or Comcast, but Immelt. There is no way, the name of the next generation head of General Electric is too loud up.
"President Immelt!"
"President Brian!"
After entering the conference room, Song Yang greeted Immelt and Brian Roberts.
"I'm very glad that you can come. On behalf of all ICQ staff, I welcome everyone to come and thank you for your support to ICQ!"
Irene, who was sitting at the top, spoke to the crowd in the conference room in the name of the co-president of ICQ.
Brian Roberts looked at the crowd in the meeting room, looking at the competitors this time, Enron, Microsoft, and General Electric, for the first time Brian felt that he couldn't beat him.
Like Brian, Immelt is also looking at the "opponents" in the conference room. Immelt, who has been with Welch for so many years and has acquired countless companies after many battles, the scene in front of him is very important for him. For him, it's not worth mentioning at all.
However, it was beyond Immelt's expectations that a new Internet company that was established less than a year or two ago could attract so many giant companies.
This time, General Dynamics' investment in ICQ is really just testing the waters. General Electric has many businesses, and it has long been no longer the manufacturing company in the traditional impression. From finance to medical equipment, engines, media, insurance, etc., General Electric has It has entered, and even GE's financial business has become GE's most profitable department, even surpassing most of Wall Street's investment banks and institutions.
Investing in ICQ, on the one hand, the Internet is really hot now, on the other hand, General Electric does not want to completely miss the Internet, which is why Immelt came.
"ICQ currently occupies more than 65% of the global instant messaging market, and even exceeds 80% in America and other parts of the world. ICQ holds more than 320 patents in the instant messaging industry. The ICQ community is currently the most popular among young people. Internet products popular with people..."
Irene turned to the people in the conference room and talked about the current ICQ. Of course, in Eileen's mouth, ICQ is a sweet pastry, with tens of millions of users, and continuous explosive growth in revenue. It has a dominant position in the instant messaging industry. , holds a large number of patents, and other companies cannot challenge ICQ at all.
It is hard to say whether it is true or not, but from the ears of Brian Roberts and Immelt, ICQ is indeed unique in Silicon Valley at present. Except for a few Internet companies such as Yahoo and Netscape, it is difficult for other Internet companies to On par with ICQ.
(end of this chapter)