导读：国外媒体今天撰文称，不断壮大的科技企业既是传媒领域的智者又给传媒行业带来了灾祸，就连Allen &Co。传媒峰会也开始越发关注科技企业。而作为本届峰会的焦点之一Twitter有可能会借此机会寻找商业合作伙伴甚至潜在买家。
传媒峰会关注科技企业
投资银行Allen &Co。每年都会在其总部所在地爱达荷州太阳谷举行传媒峰会，参加这一盛事的传媒巨头们都会借此机会思考自己下一步的战略，在此期间，这些巨头原本都会非常惬意。
就算没有谈成大买卖也并未获得新颖的创意，传媒企业的高管们仍然可以通过新闻、娱乐以及人们听到和看到的几乎所有内容榨取利润。
自1983年举办第一届Allen &Co。夏季峰会至今，情况已经发生了巨大的变化。最新一届峰会将于周二在爱达荷州太阳谷举行。而这一峰会的中心已经变成了那些具有开拓精神的科技企业。这些企业把电脑和手机变成了多媒体中心，而这却令报纸、杂志、广播、音乐和电影产业备受煎熬。这种趋势使得科技企业在传媒行业中扮演了双重角色，他们既是传媒领域的智者却又给传媒行业带来了灾祸。
本周，Twitter联合创始人兼CEO埃文·威廉姆斯(Evan Williams)将有可能在Allen &Co。峰会上受到热捧，这是因为大家都想知道这家微型博客服务究竟只是一时流行的狂热还是通信行业革命性的突破。第一次参加Allen &Co。峰会的Facebook游戏开发商Zynga公司CEO马克·平卡斯(Mark Pincus)说：“埃文将成为众人瞩目的焦点。”
Allen &Co。峰会发展历程
Allen &Co。的历史可以追溯到上世纪20年代，该公司现在由其创始人的孙子赫伯·艾伦(Herb Allen)掌管。尽管规模较小，但Allen &Co。已经凭借着鲜明的特色发展成一家杰出的传媒投资银行，而太阳谷峰会正是其特色之一。每届峰会历时5天，在此期间，Allen &Co。会邀请传媒界知名人士齐聚一堂，在海明威故居共度美好时光。
峰会上的娱乐项目包括网球、高尔夫球、骑车、游泳、钓鱼和漂流等。除此之外，客人们还会举办各种各样的演讲，并讨论行业的新兴机遇以及所面临的挑战。
Allen &Co。并不会对外透露峰会的嘉宾，但新闻集团CEO鲁伯特·默多克(Rupert Murdoch)、《华盛顿邮报》CEO唐纳德-格拉汉姆(Donald Graham)以及华特迪士尼CEO罗伯特·伊戈尔(Robert Iger)都是该峰会的常客。
Allen &Co。峰会自2001年起便开始关注科技。当时正值互联网泡沫破裂，大批投资银行纷纷抛弃加州硅谷和纽约硅巷。而Allen &Co。则试图吸引更多网络行业的传媒领袖，并且开始定期邀请浏览器先锋马克·安德森(Marc Andreessen)、亚马逊CEO杰夫-贝佐斯(Jeff Bezos)以及谷歌创始人拉里·佩奇(Larry Page)和赛吉·布林(Sergey Brin)等人。他们今年仍然有望再次参加Allen &Co。峰会。
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
专访李彤：RIM专注的25年 引领移动商务新趋势
编者按：
2009年是中国的3G元年，它对RIM来说是更是具有特殊意义的一年：它是RIM诞生以来的第25个年头，也是RIM入华以来的第三个年头，它同时又是RIM一个非凡的新财年。面对全球经济低迷、整个手机市场萎缩和充满变数的市场竞争环境，BlackBerry却保持了良好的增长势头。今年4月，RIM联合首席执行官JimBalsillie说：“我们十分欣喜地再一次报告季度新记录，用户增长率出色，这表明我们的全新BlackBerry产品初战告捷并且势头强劲。2009财年对于RIM是一个非凡的年度，我们售出了第5000万部BlackBerry智能手机并创造了110亿美元的收入。”还有另外一组强悍的数据，数据显示RIM在第四季度的收入为34.6亿美元，比前一季度的27.8亿美元增长了24.5%，比去年同期的18.8亿美元增长了84%。RIM结束了第四季度的数据统计，其用户数量增加数及产品销售量较去年均增长超过80%。究竟是什么原因让BlackBerry在中国通讯市场竞争如此激烈的大环境中如此的锐不可挡？
25年来，BlackBerry在中国乃至在国际上立于不败之地的成功秘诀只有一个，那就是“专注”。BlackBerry已不仅是BlackBerry智能手机的设计者和生产者，如今凭借“专注”，它已发展壮大为服务于全球移动通信市场的创新性无线解决方案的推广者和领跑者。RIM将继续采用非直接销售的模式在中国推广BlackBerry，并通过与中国移动合作的方式，大举进占中国市场。
BlackBerry在中国的市场策略是：通过与中国移动开展合作来促进BlackBerry产品和服务的销售，同时支持协助中国移动所属的市场营销部门的工作。该策略充分结合了RIM在无线通讯领域的专业优势以及中国移动所拥有的高无线网络覆盖率和对于本地市场深刻了解的优势。RIM在中国的业务发展是循序渐进的，目前在中国市场，RIM针对的是企业用户。跨国公司是RIM公司首要的目标客户群。其次是中国的大型公司/企业，他们需要借助BlackBerry解决方案在全球业务舞台上大展鸿图。接下来，RIM将挖掘国内中小型企业用户。
现在BlackBerry已全身心地投入到新的市场竞争阶段中，它将继续推出新产品，使其市场份额持续增长，并创造出全新的财务佳绩。展望2010财年，毫不夸张地讲RIM及其合作伙伴都将具有绝佳的机会，凭借过去的投资和成功，继续推动市场份额和收益率的增长，开创从手机时代走向移动商务的全新时代。
RIM(ResearchInMotion）简介：
RIM是一家创新性无线解决方案的领先设计商、制造商和销售商，服务于全球移动通信市场。通过开发支持多种无线网络标准的集成硬件、软件与业务，RIM公司提供了一系列的平台和解决方案，支持了对时间敏感信息（包括电子邮件、电话、短信、基于互联网和企业内部局域网应用等）的无缝访问。此外，RIM技术还帮助许多第三方开发商和制造商通过无线数据连接来增强产品和服务。RIM公司产品方案、服务和嵌入式技术屡获殊荣，被全球数千家机构广泛使用，其中包括BlackBerry?无线平台、RIMWirelessHandheld?产品线、软件开发工具、无线调制解调器和软/硬件授权协议。RIM成立于1984，总部位于加拿大安大略省滑铁卢，并在北美、欧洲和亚太地区设有分支机构，公司在纳斯达克股票市场（Nasdaq：RIMM）和多伦多证券交易所（TSX：RIM）上市。
李彤简介：
李彤先生，现任RIM(ResearchInMotion)中国区市场总监，全面负责BlackBerry在中国的品牌管理和推广以及运营商和合作伙伴市场合作推广。
在他十余年的涵盖企业级产品和消费品的营销经历中，曾服务与CA，AOL，摩托罗拉等跨国企业，带领团队从事品牌管理，营销推广，公关以及零售领域的整合营销推广实践。
李彤先生拥有北京大学光华管理学院MBA学位和东南大学工学学士学位。
一、25年对创新的专注，铸就了今天RIM的成功
传媒领袖网（以下简称传）：RIM在中国市场的发展情况如何？RIM瞄准内地市场，在中国的市场战略是什么？是先做大再做强还是先做强再做大？
李彤(以下简称李)：要谈RIM在中国市场的发展，我们还应先从全球背景看起。在RIM刚刚过去的一个财年中，BlackBerry的表现非常出色，交出了一份漂亮的成绩单。不管是从销售的收入，终端的发货量还是用户量的增长都超过了80%，BlackBerry用户总数更是增加至2500万。BlackBerry在全球的收入，更是创造了高达110亿美金的收入。
BlackBerry本身已不仅仅是人们所认为的智能手机，它实际上更是一个强大的无线移动平台。它的发展将使两类人受益：一类是企业员工，另一类是个人用户。对企业来说，BlackBerry能够让企业中经常处于移动中的员工更快捷地，安全地掌握信息。信息本身不仅包括人们所熟知的电子邮件，还包括各种丰富的IT应用，比如：公文审批，CRM，ERP，OA流程审批，财务报表等，这些都将通过无线的平台来传递，终端只是其中的一个组成部分。对于个人用户来讲，他们也希望能够随时查看自己的邮箱，希望随时通过MSN，Facebook等实时工具与自己的领导、同事、好友进行交流。从这个方面来看，移动本身就是一大趋势，也可以说，全球整个的大趋势就是一个移动化的过程。根据IDC的有效数据预测，大约到2011年，在所有的工作人员中移动人群将达到10亿人，占全部工作人员的30%。这些人他们往往在企业中担任高管、销售人员、业务人员或者是售后服务人员，他们是最终跟客户接触者，他们对于企业来讲往往是重要的决策人员，甚至是影响企业产出收益的来源。如何使他们的工作效率得以提高，这最终将转化为一个提高企业竞争力的核心问题。BlackBerry目前正专注于更好的解决这一问题。BlackBerry在全球市场的成功，是移动商务必然发展的大势所趋，即使是面对经济危机，它也必将成为一股无法阻挡的潮流。
回到中国，中国对于任何世界厂商来讲都是一个巨大的潜在市场。在移动的通信方面，中国无疑是个非常领先的国家。通过过去近3年来和中国移动的合作，RIM在中国的业务发展是循序渐进的，目前在中国市场，RIM针对的是企业用户。跨国公司是RIM公司首要的目标客户群。其次是中国的大型公司、企业，他们需要借助BlackBerry解决方案在全球业务舞台上大展鸿图。这也是一个循序渐进的过程。RIM从诞生开始25年来，一直专注于无线研发。RIM的无线和移动解决方案通过专注于提高移动人群的效率和生产力，既能满足企业流动办公的需求，又能与公司内部管理系统无缝连接，从而让移动人群及时作出决策或满足客户期望的全天候的服务和支持。正是我们在过去的25年里一直对创新的专注，才铸就了今天RIM的成功。BlackBerry在国外的成功经验是从企业开始的，所以进入中国市场，尤其是和中国移动合作开始，我们也是从企业，并且是从大企业开始着手的。大企业的移动人群，包括本身的移动需求和IT架构都有一定得基础。另外，BlackBerry作为世界的移动通信平台,世界500强大部分的企业都是BlackBerry的用户，他们对BlackBerry的认知比较熟悉，他们知道BlackBerry是很好的效率工具。很多从国外来的高管，提高中国的团队效率,复制以往在国外的经验。接下来，我们将进入国内的大型企业，并且开始着手挖掘国内中小型企业用户，这方面我们也有一些成功德案例。从应用方面来讲，邮件是一个非常重要的应用。此外还有OA流程审批等等，这些在国外是应用很多的，这些应用在中国也将一步步发展，应用本身也是一个生态系统，需要慢慢的培养。
关于BlackBerry在中国市场的发展是先做大再做强还是先做强再做大这个问题，如果说“强”指的是有好的用户体验，是专注的做好一件事情，那BlackBerry是先做强。先把基础做扎实，专注产品，专注服务，市场爆发是迟早的事情。
二、专注是帮助企业将数据转变为盈利；使用户体验为其做口碑宣传
传：据《华盛顿时报》报导，BlackBerry8830是奥巴马御用的“第一手机”，奥巴马本人也是BlackBerry粉丝。连美国总统都钟爱BlackBerry的手机，这是否有助于提高BlackBerry产品的整体品牌推广？RIM是否会借势在市场上走向高端品牌路线而弃掉中低端用户？
李：BlackBerry是由RIM公司开发的领先的无线解决方案，它融合了业界最好的软件、服务和硬件，不仅为企业、更为个人用户提供了最全面且安全的端对端无线解决方案。对于用户，安全性和实用性都是十分重要的参考指标。特别针对企业用户来说，通过BlackBerryEnterpriseServer软件中的BlackBerryMobileDataSystem（BlackBerryMDS），用户可安全地采用在企业防火墙内的数据及其他应用程序。BlackBerryMDS亦提供架构，使得企业应用程序开发更为经济和便捷，同时满足企业安全要求。实用性具体来将可以理解为手机的最终用途，即能否满足与他人或信息保持连接的畅通性，以及能否满足用户个体对手机使用的各项功能配备。BlackBerry手机从这一方面来说为用户提供的不仅仅是一个安全有效交流的终端设备，更是一种具备解决方案的智能信息工具。
BlackBerry与市场的需求和用户的需求紧密融为一体，使得BlackBerry备受业界及用户认可.。BlackBerry解决方案在即时性、生产效率和直接成本节省方面的价值回报是立竿
见影的。几乎所有的世界500强用户均部署了BlackBerry无线解决方案。随着中国移动助力引入BlackBerry品牌，我们相信将来会有更多的企业和个人使用并喜爱上BlackBerry。BlackBerry智能手机全球用戶达2500万，大家把手持BlackBerry当做时尚和身份的象征，但依我看来，最好的工具如果不能创造价值，其“发烧”是不能持久的。BlackBerry之所以能够风靡商界，关键是我们的目标始终定为致力于把数据转变为企业盈利。
传：如今手机已经成为了快消品，但是BlackBerry用户的忠诚度很高，品牌认知度也很高，尤其是它的中高端用户群。那么BlackBerry在传播“BlackBerry品牌”这方面的市场策略是如何做到以上所说的这样的？
李：BlackBerry帮助用户提高效率。有数据支持，通过BlackBerry的系统服务我们帮助用户每天节约1小时，对于团队来说就能有效帮助团队提高38%的工作效率。BlackBerry可以让移动专业人员随时随地与他人和信息保持连接。BlackBerry智能手机为广大用户提供了对全套业务应用程序的安全无线连接，让用户可应用电子邮件、公司数据、电话、SMS、网络、组织程序功能和广泛的商业及休闲应用程序。因此BlackBerry智能手机可以说是BlackBerry无线解决方案的重要组成部分。大家说好，才是真的好，BlackBerry的迅速发展一定程度上说明了它是一种大势所趋。
对于企业用户来说，通过BlackBerryEnterpriseServer软件中的BlackBerryMobileDataSystem（BlackBerryMDS），用户可安全地采用在企业防火墙内的数据及其他应用程序。BlackBerryMDS亦提供架构，使得企业应用程序开发更为经济和便捷，同时满足企业安全要求。
另外，在国外，RIM已经为BlackBerry添加了音乐和视频功能，使BlackBerry吸引的人群范围已经超越了渴望经常收发电子邮件的商人、主管和其他企业人士。未来我们希望培养出更多“BlackBerry品牌”的忠实用户，这些自发的积极的BlackBerry手机用户，将具有极大的品牌传播能力，因此在他们的带动下就会有更潜在客户通过口碑传递而成为BlackBerry的用户。
传：BlackBerry作为智能手机领域的领头羊，希望向使用BlackBerry的用户传达什么理念？全球经济低迷、整体手机市场萎缩,但BlackBerry却在增长。在全球经济危机环境下，BlackBerry的市场传播核心理念是什么，与过去的理念有何不同？
李：BlackBerry之所以如此广受用户的青睐，除了不断创新技术、满足客户需求外，还有至关重要的一点，那就是BlackBerry一直专注于用户体验，我们不断深化手机本身的应用开发并且十分关注它是否能与用户的需求相匹配。我们把产品销售和客户支持交给最了解当地客户的运营商，比如在中国就交给了中国移动。专注不一定会成功，但不专注一定是不会成功！在全球经济低迷、整体手机市场萎缩的形势下,BlackBerry的销售却在持续稳步增长，出色的用户增长率表明，全新的BlackBerry产品初战告捷并且势头强劲。经济危机下，BlackBerry一直在努力向我们的用户传达出全新的理念：即BlackBerry解决方案在即时性、生产效率和直接成本节省方面的价值回报是立竿见影的。
三、专注是一件知易行难的事
传：在市场竞争中，与竞争对手苹果所传达的理念有何不同？
李：与其他手机所传达的理念不同，BlackBerry对个人消费者来说并不止代表了BlackBerry智能手机。但同时BlackBerry还为客户提供他们所需的移动服务和解决方案。如果是企业用户，通过我们的推送技术，我们帮助其有效提高时间成本效率。我们另一方面的优势体现在压缩技术上。一般情况下，如果用户想看照片，在看之前，他是需要把照片先下载下来，才能预览。这是传统方式，它对整个操作有一个前提，那就是数据的下载需要时间并保证在下载过程中不断线。假设说这个附件照片的大小是2兆，BlackBerry并不是把2兆照片先下载下来，而是可以通过BlackBerryEnterpriseServer服务器的压缩技术，先将适合手机屏幕大小的图像下载到手机供客户浏览，在用户看图的过程中，如果需要放大观看，服务器会按照客户需要大小下载，以保证即让客户迅速看到，又可满足浏览需要。
如果说沟通理念有什么不同：那就是BlackBerry不仅是一个手机更是一个移动平台。BlackBerry只提供后台的技术，把运营交给最懂用户的运营商来做售后，我们和运营商之间有着非常好的结合。基于产品本身的区分和整机的运行效果，运营商在面对客户时最有发言权，我们需要通过品牌传递出实际效果使用户得到良好的用户体验。由于RIM努力强化了BlackBerry手机的非企业因素。
传：现在手机市场竞争非常激烈，在中国市场上山寨机对品牌机的冲击力也非常强，你如何看待市场上的山寨机现象？2009年5月16日，“BlackBerryStorm2”惊现中国市场，这款名为Cool9500的手机是国内山寨厂商制造的，它在外型上是完全模仿BlackBerryStorm手机，RIM BlackBerry如何应对这一现象。今后BlackBerry要想继续保持领先优势还需要在哪些方面来强化自己？
李：其实说到底山寨机的本质还是手机，山寨机是否能提供完善的软件和良好的服务，这还是使用者非常关注的一个问题。
举个例子，比如用户想要用手机高速上网，除了使用手机本身的各式应用程序外，智能系统的支持也是非常必要的，而这也必然带来手机成本的增加。毕竟，价格、便携性和网络功能才是一款产品成功的要素。当然用户也会根据自身的最终用途来做出相应选择，这可以说是一个自然选择的过程。
我想要再次强调的是BlackBerry不仅仅是一款手机，它是由RIM公司开发的领先的无线解决方案，它融合了业界最好的软件、服务和硬件，不仅为企业、更为个人用户提供了最全面且安全的端对端无线解决方案。
传：2009年是中国的3G元年，随着3G在中国的深入发展，您认为这对整个行业会产生怎样的影响？RIM在3G方面有没有发展规划？
李：3G的发展可以说是加强手机软件的开发和应用的助推器，3G成功的要点是建立适应3G的商业模式和生态系统，这也是RIM努力的方向。同时，3G时代人们的需求的变化以及如何满足客户的需求也是我们努力的方向。应该讲，BlackBerry系统平台，压缩和推送技术依旧是RIM在3G时代的竞争优势所在。解决了这些问题，我们就能帮助用户解约决策时间，这样就相当于变相的帮助企业提高了他们在市场中的竞争效率从而促进企业增收。
传：尽管受经济危机影响，手机市场受挫，但是BlackBerry仍然保持了稳步增长，您认为“BlackBerry品牌”在市场开拓和占有率方面表现出色的成功要素是什么？“BlackBerry品牌”在市场开拓方面与竞争对手的差异是什么？BlackBerry凭借什么吸引“高端消费者”？
李：BlackBerry解决方案的“推入”技术是备受业界及用户认可的。当电子邮件发送到电子邮件服务器时，邮件会被自动推入BlackBerry智能手机，这样用户就无须不断查看收件箱，便可自动收取电子邮件。“BlackBerry品牌”在市场开拓和占有率方面之所以会有如此出色的表现，还在于BlackBerry不仅仅是一个智能手机，BlackBerry的用户界面方面设计也是非常合理的，同时也为聊天程序和邮件等预留了入口，从这几点就可以看出我们的开发团队确实是花了很多心思的。如果我们的用户使用BlackBerry手机登陆了邮箱和输入了手机号码，那他就可以一直在任何环境下和自己朋友保持联系。如果他还想要通过无线网络发送邮件（手机内置了无线和蓝牙连接方式），或是发送短信抑或是语音信息，这并不需要考虑采用何种方式，他只需要选择合适的联系人。此外，必须要强调一下的是：BlackBerryEnterpriseServer所提供的服务更是为拥有其IT基建环境的企业客户而设，与IBMLotusDomino、MicrosoftExchange及NovellGroupWise紧密整合，配合企业现有的企业系统，提供安全的无线推送服务，让用户可以无线存取电邮、组织程序及其他应用。（RIM中国区市场总监李彤与传媒领袖网总编辑孙玫合影，摄影：王玉军）
四、专注是凝结在RIM血液中的一种文化
传：您在RIM任职以来做制定的所有市场战略中，您最满意的一次是什么？
李：不管市场如何风起云涌，但我认为最核心的永远是用户需求。在做市场决策的过程中我们始终坚持“用户第一”的原则，用户、用户还是用户，这是亘古不变的硬道理。所以说并没有什么最满意的决策，因为每一次决策都是理性的，是以用户为核心以市场为导向的决策。
传：您担任RIM中国区市场总监以来最大的收获是什么？
李：与企业一起成长，是非常幸福也是非常快乐的一件事情。RIM从25年前只专注于做手机的开发和应用，到现在RIM已经发展成为全球领先的移动通信公司之一。BlackBerry进入中国市场已经有3个年头了，RIM要成为行业的标杆，需要大家共同的努力。每一个身为RIM员工都应时刻牢记，RIM的成功源于专注。在对的时间，一次只做一件对的事情，并且每次都能把这件事情恰如其分的做好。成功的机会总是留给那些能够控制自己的人，这就是最大的收获。
传：RIM是一家加拿大的企业，那么在工作中您是如何所带领和打造您的市场团队的？您的领导风格是什么样的？
李：不管是什么类型的企业，专注都是必不可少的。可以毫不夸张地讲：专注于完善我们的产品，解决方案和服务是RIM一直所追求的。专注不仅体现在BlackBerry团队坚持在市场上以客户需求为导向，专注更体现在BlackBerry精益求精为客户服务的态度上，也是BlackBerry整个市场团队不断学习，自我完善的源动力。专注是RIM企业文化的一种风气，一种团队精神。在这样的精神领导下，我们和客户以心换心，这可以说是我们BlackBerry整个团队的精气神。
如果谈我个人的领导风格，我觉得应该归纳为：重视效率，重视结果也重视过程。把每一个过程中需要落实的细节都能切实可靠地转化为执行力，结果自然差不了。
传：对于外企在中国的发展都会面临企业本地化人才管理，那么您的用人标准是什么？
李：我认为市场人员应当具备敏感的特质，对客户需求和市场具有洞察力，对客户和合作伙伴具有亲和力，在工作中善于沟通，注重结果，坚持总结和学习，不断完善自我，我想这样的市场人员不论走到哪里都会受尊重。（完/作者：朱珠 摄影：王玉军）
2009年是中国的3G元年，它对RIM来说是更是具有特殊意义的一年：它是RIM诞生以来的第25个年头，也是RIM入华以来的第三个年头，它同时又是RIM一个非凡的新财年。面对全球经济低迷、整个手机市场萎缩和充满变数的市场竞争环境，BlackBerry却保持了良好的增长势头。今年4月，RIM联合首席执行官JimBalsillie说：“我们十分欣喜地再一次报告季度新记录，用户增长率出色，这表明我们的全新BlackBerry产品初战告捷并且势头强劲。2009财年对于RIM是一个非凡的年度，我们售出了第5000万部BlackBerry智能手机并创造了110亿美元的收入。”还有另外一组强悍的数据，数据显示RIM在第四季度的收入为34.6亿美元，比前一季度的27.8亿美元增长了24.5%，比去年同期的18.8亿美元增长了84%。RIM结束了第四季度的数据统计，其用户数量增加数及产品销售量较去年均增长超过80%。究竟是什么原因让BlackBerry在中国通讯市场竞争如此激烈的大环境中如此的锐不可挡？
25年来，BlackBerry在中国乃至在国际上立于不败之地的成功秘诀只有一个，那就是“专注”。BlackBerry已不仅是BlackBerry智能手机的设计者和生产者，如今凭借“专注”，它已发展壮大为服务于全球移动通信市场的创新性无线解决方案的推广者和领跑者。RIM将继续采用非直接销售的模式在中国推广BlackBerry，并通过与中国移动合作的方式，大举进占中国市场。
BlackBerry在中国的市场策略是：通过与中国移动开展合作来促进BlackBerry产品和服务的销售，同时支持协助中国移动所属的市场营销部门的工作。该策略充分结合了RIM在无线通讯领域的专业优势以及中国移动所拥有的高无线网络覆盖率和对于本地市场深刻了解的优势。RIM在中国的业务发展是循序渐进的，目前在中国市场，RIM针对的是企业用户。跨国公司是RIM公司首要的目标客户群。其次是中国的大型公司/企业，他们需要借助BlackBerry解决方案在全球业务舞台上大展鸿图。接下来，RIM将挖掘国内中小型企业用户。
现在BlackBerry已全身心地投入到新的市场竞争阶段中，它将继续推出新产品，使其市场份额持续增长，并创造出全新的财务佳绩。展望2010财年，毫不夸张地讲RIM及其合作伙伴都将具有绝佳的机会，凭借过去的投资和成功，继续推动市场份额和收益率的增长，开创从手机时代走向移动商务的全新时代。
RIM(ResearchInMotion）简介：
RIM是一家创新性无线解决方案的领先设计商、制造商和销售商，服务于全球移动通信市场。通过开发支持多种无线网络标准的集成硬件、软件与业务，RIM公司提供了一系列的平台和解决方案，支持了对时间敏感信息（包括电子邮件、电话、短信、基于互联网和企业内部局域网应用等）的无缝访问。此外，RIM技术还帮助许多第三方开发商和制造商通过无线数据连接来增强产品和服务。RIM公司产品方案、服务和嵌入式技术屡获殊荣，被全球数千家机构广泛使用，其中包括BlackBerry?无线平台、RIMWirelessHandheld?产品线、软件开发工具、无线调制解调器和软/硬件授权协议。RIM成立于1984，总部位于加拿大安大略省滑铁卢，并在北美、欧洲和亚太地区设有分支机构，公司在纳斯达克股票市场（Nasdaq：RIMM）和多伦多证券交易所（TSX：RIM）上市。
李彤简介：
李彤先生，现任RIM(ResearchInMotion)中国区市场总监，全面负责BlackBerry在中国的品牌管理和推广以及运营商和合作伙伴市场合作推广。
在他十余年的涵盖企业级产品和消费品的营销经历中，曾服务与CA，AOL，摩托罗拉等跨国企业，带领团队从事品牌管理，营销推广，公关以及零售领域的整合营销推广实践。
李彤先生拥有北京大学光华管理学院MBA学位和东南大学工学学士学位。
一、25年对创新的专注，铸就了今天RIM的成功
传媒领袖网（以下简称传）：RIM在中国市场的发展情况如何？RIM瞄准内地市场，在中国的市场战略是什么？是先做大再做强还是先做强再做大？
李彤(以下简称李)：要谈RIM在中国市场的发展，我们还应先从全球背景看起。在RIM刚刚过去的一个财年中，BlackBerry的表现非常出色，交出了一份漂亮的成绩单。不管是从销售的收入，终端的发货量还是用户量的增长都超过了80%，BlackBerry用户总数更是增加至2500万。BlackBerry在全球的收入，更是创造了高达110亿美金的收入。
BlackBerry本身已不仅仅是人们所认为的智能手机，它实际上更是一个强大的无线移动平台。它的发展将使两类人受益：一类是企业员工，另一类是个人用户。对企业来说，BlackBerry能够让企业中经常处于移动中的员工更快捷地，安全地掌握信息。信息本身不仅包括人们所熟知的电子邮件，还包括各种丰富的IT应用，比如：公文审批，CRM，ERP，OA流程审批，财务报表等，这些都将通过无线的平台来传递，终端只是其中的一个组成部分。对于个人用户来讲，他们也希望能够随时查看自己的邮箱，希望随时通过MSN，Facebook等实时工具与自己的领导、同事、好友进行交流。从这个方面来看，移动本身就是一大趋势，也可以说，全球整个的大趋势就是一个移动化的过程。根据IDC的有效数据预测，大约到2011年，在所有的工作人员中移动人群将达到10亿人，占全部工作人员的30%。这些人他们往往在企业中担任高管、销售人员、业务人员或者是售后服务人员，他们是最终跟客户接触者，他们对于企业来讲往往是重要的决策人员，甚至是影响企业产出收益的来源。如何使他们的工作效率得以提高，这最终将转化为一个提高企业竞争力的核心问题。BlackBerry目前正专注于更好的解决这一问题。BlackBerry在全球市场的成功，是移动商务必然发展的大势所趋，即使是面对经济危机，它也必将成为一股无法阻挡的潮流。
回到中国，中国对于任何世界厂商来讲都是一个巨大的潜在市场。在移动的通信方面，中国无疑是个非常领先的国家。通过过去近3年来和中国移动的合作，RIM在中国的业务发展是循序渐进的，目前在中国市场，RIM针对的是企业用户。跨国公司是RIM公司首要的目标客户群。其次是中国的大型公司、企业，他们需要借助BlackBerry解决方案在全球业务舞台上大展鸿图。这也是一个循序渐进的过程。RIM从诞生开始25年来，一直专注于无线研发。RIM的无线和移动解决方案通过专注于提高移动人群的效率和生产力，既能满足企业流动办公的需求，又能与公司内部管理系统无缝连接，从而让移动人群及时作出决策或满足客户期望的全天候的服务和支持。正是我们在过去的25年里一直对创新的专注，才铸就了今天RIM的成功。BlackBerry在国外的成功经验是从企业开始的，所以进入中国市场，尤其是和中国移动合作开始，我们也是从企业，并且是从大企业开始着手的。大企业的移动人群，包括本身的移动需求和IT架构都有一定得基础。另外，BlackBerry作为世界的移动通信平台,世界500强大部分的企业都是BlackBerry的用户，他们对BlackBerry的认知比较熟悉，他们知道BlackBerry是很好的效率工具。很多从国外来的高管，提高中国的团队效率,复制以往在国外的经验。接下来，我们将进入国内的大型企业，并且开始着手挖掘国内中小型企业用户，这方面我们也有一些成功德案例。从应用方面来讲，邮件是一个非常重要的应用。此外还有OA流程审批等等，这些在国外是应用很多的，这些应用在中国也将一步步发展，应用本身也是一个生态系统，需要慢慢的培养。
关于BlackBerry在中国市场的发展是先做大再做强还是先做强再做大这个问题，如果说“强”指的是有好的用户体验，是专注的做好一件事情，那BlackBerry是先做强。先把基础做扎实，专注产品，专注服务，市场爆发是迟早的事情。
二、专注是帮助企业将数据转变为盈利；使用户体验为其做口碑宣传
传：据《华盛顿时报》报导，BlackBerry8830是奥巴马御用的“第一手机”，奥巴马本人也是BlackBerry粉丝。连美国总统都钟爱BlackBerry的手机，这是否有助于提高BlackBerry产品的整体品牌推广？RIM是否会借势在市场上走向高端品牌路线而弃掉中低端用户？
李：BlackBerry是由RIM公司开发的领先的无线解决方案，它融合了业界最好的软件、服务和硬件，不仅为企业、更为个人用户提供了最全面且安全的端对端无线解决方案。对于用户，安全性和实用性都是十分重要的参考指标。特别针对企业用户来说，通过BlackBerryEnterpriseServer软件中的BlackBerryMobileDataSystem（BlackBerryMDS），用户可安全地采用在企业防火墙内的数据及其他应用程序。BlackBerryMDS亦提供架构，使得企业应用程序开发更为经济和便捷，同时满足企业安全要求。实用性具体来将可以理解为手机的最终用途，即能否满足与他人或信息保持连接的畅通性，以及能否满足用户个体对手机使用的各项功能配备。BlackBerry手机从这一方面来说为用户提供的不仅仅是一个安全有效交流的终端设备，更是一种具备解决方案的智能信息工具。
BlackBerry与市场的需求和用户的需求紧密融为一体，使得BlackBerry备受业界及用户认可.。BlackBerry解决方案在即时性、生产效率和直接成本节省方面的价值回报是立竿
见影的。几乎所有的世界500强用户均部署了BlackBerry无线解决方案。随着中国移动助力引入BlackBerry品牌，我们相信将来会有更多的企业和个人使用并喜爱上BlackBerry。BlackBerry智能手机全球用戶达2500万，大家把手持BlackBerry当做时尚和身份的象征，但依我看来，最好的工具如果不能创造价值，其“发烧”是不能持久的。BlackBerry之所以能够风靡商界，关键是我们的目标始终定为致力于把数据转变为企业盈利。
传：如今手机已经成为了快消品，但是BlackBerry用户的忠诚度很高，品牌认知度也很高，尤其是它的中高端用户群。那么BlackBerry在传播“BlackBerry品牌”这方面的市场策略是如何做到以上所说的这样的？
李：BlackBerry帮助用户提高效率。有数据支持，通过BlackBerry的系统服务我们帮助用户每天节约1小时，对于团队来说就能有效帮助团队提高38%的工作效率。BlackBerry可以让移动专业人员随时随地与他人和信息保持连接。BlackBerry智能手机为广大用户提供了对全套业务应用程序的安全无线连接，让用户可应用电子邮件、公司数据、电话、SMS、网络、组织程序功能和广泛的商业及休闲应用程序。因此BlackBerry智能手机可以说是BlackBerry无线解决方案的重要组成部分。大家说好，才是真的好，BlackBerry的迅速发展一定程度上说明了它是一种大势所趋。
对于企业用户来说，通过BlackBerryEnterpriseServer软件中的BlackBerryMobileDataSystem（BlackBerryMDS），用户可安全地采用在企业防火墙内的数据及其他应用程序。BlackBerryMDS亦提供架构，使得企业应用程序开发更为经济和便捷，同时满足企业安全要求。
另外，在国外，RIM已经为BlackBerry添加了音乐和视频功能，使BlackBerry吸引的人群范围已经超越了渴望经常收发电子邮件的商人、主管和其他企业人士。未来我们希望培养出更多“BlackBerry品牌”的忠实用户，这些自发的积极的BlackBerry手机用户，将具有极大的品牌传播能力，因此在他们的带动下就会有更潜在客户通过口碑传递而成为BlackBerry的用户。
传：BlackBerry作为智能手机领域的领头羊，希望向使用BlackBerry的用户传达什么理念？全球经济低迷、整体手机市场萎缩,但BlackBerry却在增长。在全球经济危机环境下，BlackBerry的市场传播核心理念是什么，与过去的理念有何不同？
李：BlackBerry之所以如此广受用户的青睐，除了不断创新技术、满足客户需求外，还有至关重要的一点，那就是BlackBerry一直专注于用户体验，我们不断深化手机本身的应用开发并且十分关注它是否能与用户的需求相匹配。我们把产品销售和客户支持交给最了解当地客户的运营商，比如在中国就交给了中国移动。专注不一定会成功，但不专注一定是不会成功！在全球经济低迷、整体手机市场萎缩的形势下,BlackBerry的销售却在持续稳步增长，出色的用户增长率表明，全新的BlackBerry产品初战告捷并且势头强劲。经济危机下，BlackBerry一直在努力向我们的用户传达出全新的理念：即BlackBerry解决方案在即时性、生产效率和直接成本节省方面的价值回报是立竿见影的。
三、专注是一件知易行难的事
传：在市场竞争中，与竞争对手苹果所传达的理念有何不同？
李：与其他手机所传达的理念不同，BlackBerry对个人消费者来说并不止代表了BlackBerry智能手机。但同时BlackBerry还为客户提供他们所需的移动服务和解决方案。如果是企业用户，通过我们的推送技术，我们帮助其有效提高时间成本效率。我们另一方面的优势体现在压缩技术上。一般情况下，如果用户想看照片，在看之前，他是需要把照片先下载下来，才能预览。这是传统方式，它对整个操作有一个前提，那就是数据的下载需要时间并保证在下载过程中不断线。假设说这个附件照片的大小是2兆，BlackBerry并不是把2兆照片先下载下来，而是可以通过BlackBerryEnterpriseServer服务器的压缩技术，先将适合手机屏幕大小的图像下载到手机供客户浏览，在用户看图的过程中，如果需要放大观看，服务器会按照客户需要大小下载，以保证即让客户迅速看到，又可满足浏览需要。
如果说沟通理念有什么不同：那就是BlackBerry不仅是一个手机更是一个移动平台。BlackBerry只提供后台的技术，把运营交给最懂用户的运营商来做售后，我们和运营商之间有着非常好的结合。基于产品本身的区分和整机的运行效果，运营商在面对客户时最有发言权，我们需要通过品牌传递出实际效果使用户得到良好的用户体验。由于RIM努力强化了BlackBerry手机的非企业因素。
传：现在手机市场竞争非常激烈，在中国市场上山寨机对品牌机的冲击力也非常强，你如何看待市场上的山寨机现象？2009年5月16日，“BlackBerryStorm2”惊现中国市场，这款名为Cool9500的手机是国内山寨厂商制造的，它在外型上是完全模仿BlackBerryStorm手机，RIM BlackBerry如何应对这一现象。今后BlackBerry要想继续保持领先优势还需要在哪些方面来强化自己？
李：其实说到底山寨机的本质还是手机，山寨机是否能提供完善的软件和良好的服务，这还是使用者非常关注的一个问题。
举个例子，比如用户想要用手机高速上网，除了使用手机本身的各式应用程序外，智能系统的支持也是非常必要的，而这也必然带来手机成本的增加。毕竟，价格、便携性和网络功能才是一款产品成功的要素。当然用户也会根据自身的最终用途来做出相应选择，这可以说是一个自然选择的过程。
我想要再次强调的是BlackBerry不仅仅是一款手机，它是由RIM公司开发的领先的无线解决方案，它融合了业界最好的软件、服务和硬件，不仅为企业、更为个人用户提供了最全面且安全的端对端无线解决方案。
传：2009年是中国的3G元年，随着3G在中国的深入发展，您认为这对整个行业会产生怎样的影响？RIM在3G方面有没有发展规划？
李：3G的发展可以说是加强手机软件的开发和应用的助推器，3G成功的要点是建立适应3G的商业模式和生态系统，这也是RIM努力的方向。同时，3G时代人们的需求的变化以及如何满足客户的需求也是我们努力的方向。应该讲，BlackBerry系统平台，压缩和推送技术依旧是RIM在3G时代的竞争优势所在。解决了这些问题，我们就能帮助用户解约决策时间，这样就相当于变相的帮助企业提高了他们在市场中的竞争效率从而促进企业增收。
传：尽管受经济危机影响，手机市场受挫，但是BlackBerry仍然保持了稳步增长，您认为“BlackBerry品牌”在市场开拓和占有率方面表现出色的成功要素是什么？“BlackBerry品牌”在市场开拓方面与竞争对手的差异是什么？BlackBerry凭借什么吸引“高端消费者”？
李：BlackBerry解决方案的“推入”技术是备受业界及用户认可的。当电子邮件发送到电子邮件服务器时，邮件会被自动推入BlackBerry智能手机，这样用户就无须不断查看收件箱，便可自动收取电子邮件。“BlackBerry品牌”在市场开拓和占有率方面之所以会有如此出色的表现，还在于BlackBerry不仅仅是一个智能手机，BlackBerry的用户界面方面设计也是非常合理的，同时也为聊天程序和邮件等预留了入口，从这几点就可以看出我们的开发团队确实是花了很多心思的。如果我们的用户使用BlackBerry手机登陆了邮箱和输入了手机号码，那他就可以一直在任何环境下和自己朋友保持联系。如果他还想要通过无线网络发送邮件（手机内置了无线和蓝牙连接方式），或是发送短信抑或是语音信息，这并不需要考虑采用何种方式，他只需要选择合适的联系人。此外，必须要强调一下的是：BlackBerryEnterpriseServer所提供的服务更是为拥有其IT基建环境的企业客户而设，与IBMLotusDomino、MicrosoftExchange及NovellGroupWise紧密整合，配合企业现有的企业系统，提供安全的无线推送服务，让用户可以无线存取电邮、组织程序及其他应用。（RIM中国区市场总监李彤与传媒领袖网总编辑孙玫合影，摄影：王玉军）
四、专注是凝结在RIM血液中的一种文化
传：您在RIM任职以来做制定的所有市场战略中，您最满意的一次是什么？
李：不管市场如何风起云涌，但我认为最核心的永远是用户需求。在做市场决策的过程中我们始终坚持“用户第一”的原则，用户、用户还是用户，这是亘古不变的硬道理。所以说并没有什么最满意的决策，因为每一次决策都是理性的，是以用户为核心以市场为导向的决策。
传：您担任RIM中国区市场总监以来最大的收获是什么？
李：与企业一起成长，是非常幸福也是非常快乐的一件事情。RIM从25年前只专注于做手机的开发和应用，到现在RIM已经发展成为全球领先的移动通信公司之一。BlackBerry进入中国市场已经有3个年头了，RIM要成为行业的标杆，需要大家共同的努力。每一个身为RIM员工都应时刻牢记，RIM的成功源于专注。在对的时间，一次只做一件对的事情，并且每次都能把这件事情恰如其分的做好。成功的机会总是留给那些能够控制自己的人，这就是最大的收获。
传：RIM是一家加拿大的企业，那么在工作中您是如何所带领和打造您的市场团队的？您的领导风格是什么样的？
李：不管是什么类型的企业，专注都是必不可少的。可以毫不夸张地讲：专注于完善我们的产品，解决方案和服务是RIM一直所追求的。专注不仅体现在BlackBerry团队坚持在市场上以客户需求为导向，专注更体现在BlackBerry精益求精为客户服务的态度上，也是BlackBerry整个市场团队不断学习，自我完善的源动力。专注是RIM企业文化的一种风气，一种团队精神。在这样的精神领导下，我们和客户以心换心，这可以说是我们BlackBerry整个团队的精气神。
如果谈我个人的领导风格，我觉得应该归纳为：重视效率，重视结果也重视过程。把每一个过程中需要落实的细节都能切实可靠地转化为执行力，结果自然差不了。
传：对于外企在中国的发展都会面临企业本地化人才管理，那么您的用人标准是什么？
李：我认为市场人员应当具备敏感的特质，对客户需求和市场具有洞察力，对客户和合作伙伴具有亲和力，在工作中善于沟通，注重结果，坚持总结和学习，不断完善自我，我想这样的市场人员不论走到哪里都会受尊重。（完/作者：朱珠 摄影：王玉军）
Monday, July 13, 2009
Interview with Fredy Bush
China International Business (http://www.cibmagazine.com.cn/Features/Face_To_Face.asp?id=742&fredy_bush.html)
Thirty years ago Fredy Bush was a teenage single mother on welfare in Utah. Now, she’s the CEO of a multi-million-dollar listed company. Bush is CEO and founder of Xinhua Finance Media Limited (新华财经媒体), a NASDAQ-listed media content and distribution company, as well as executive vice-chairman of Tokyo-listed Xinhua Finance Limited (新华财经有限公司), the leading provider of China-based financial news and indices, which Bush established in 1999, in partnership with the Xinhua News Agency.
But it hasn’t been a trouble-free journey from Utah to Shanghai; from tackling the humiliation of using food stamps to weathering the economic downturns of 9/11 and SARS, and, most recently, seeing her company’s share price crash, Bush’s emergence as one of Asia’s most important financial media figures has been extremely eventful. She sat down with CIB last month to discuss the triumphs and challenges of her career so far.
You had no formal college education. Can you tell us about your background?
I was a young mother. I’ve been a single mother most of my adult life. Due to my need to support the kids, I didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, but because of my desire to support the kids, I also had drive.
Most of my career has been built on that. I had my son when I was 16 and he’s now 31. I was raised in a culture in Utah where women had children very young. Women were meant to get married and raise children. I did odd jobs, clerking and secretarial work. Being a single mom was tough, to manage work and home. Every parent goes through that: how much time can you spend at the office and how much time can you spend at home?
When did you realize your life was not going to be like that of other women in Utah?
A big part of me always wanted to break out. There’s such an incredible gender bias. I’m the sixth of eight children. There came a point where I knew that I wanted to define my life for myself, rather than let the male elders in my community do it for me, which is why I left the US. I took a job in Taiwan in 1985 simply because it was going to pay me more than what I could make with my background. It broke me out of my community. I was about 26 at the time.
How did the move to Taiwan come about?
I was working as a clerk in Utah, and my bosses had family back in Taiwan and asked if I was interested in a position with the Taiwan Feed & Grain Association. Those early years were really what led me to do what I’ve done in China, to create the charities and the company I have.
Did you ever imagine your life would be where it is now?
No. But I did have the determination from being on welfare that I wasn’t going to stay there. I was going to do everything I could do to get my children out of that demographic. Now they are both graduated from college, and married. When I moved to Taiwan, I took a big risk. I didn’t know the culture. I didn’t know anything. But I did understand the opportunities Asia provided. I got here when Asia was emerging. Taiwan began to change, with capital markets and so forth. I started up consulting, which led to my doing consulting for [the Chinese mainland], which led to Xinhua.
You brought about a major transformation of Taiwan’s commodities markets. How did this come about?
People [in Taiwan] were already buying commodities, they [just] didn’t have the legal ability to hedge. So the first thing I started doing was to ask the regulatory authorities in the US to come to Taiwan and to talk to the regulatory bodies to develop the ability to hedge. That eventually led to Taiwan mirroring the US.
How were you able to achieve this?
Because I put my hand out. I knew what problems existed in Taiwan and I knew what the market was like in the US.
How did you go from this to starting up Xinhua Finance?
Once hedging became legal in 1989, what quickly happened was [investors] needed data to trade. If you don’t have the quote, or real-time news, you can’t hedge efficiently. The next milestone was saying: all that data is available, we just have to bring it here. I wasn’t the only one doing it, but my success came from the fact that I was offering it for free. I was young and I didn’t have the resumé, so I took the risk. I structured the business so that as long as clients did business with partners, then I got paid. It certainly made me work really hard because I had to make sure that relationships worked.
The next big breakthrough was when I met a small division of Xinhua News Agency, where I did a very simple transaction for them when they needed some commodity quotes from the West. It was a very small step, but it was the seed of a relationship that has existed now since 1992.
When did you start focusing on the Chinese mainland?
I moved to [the Chinese mainland] in 1992. When I got [here], Taiwan was [this] microcosm and China was this huge market that I believed was going to emerge. And it turned out that way. China is enormous; more internet users, more television viewers. My relationship with Xinhua started with commodity quotes, and it grew from there. In 1999, we thought China was going to get into the World Trade Organization, so I thought a good business plan would be to found a company that created financial information infrastructure to international standards. That was the basic idea. I took this to Xinhua News Agency and they agreed that it could be a good business, so we started Xinhua Finance Limited in 1999.
It took almost seven years between your first contact with Xinhua and setting up Xinhua Finance Limited. What happened during that period?
I was in Hong Kong, Shanghai, here and there. When markets emerge, you can be anywhere, and opportunities come from the fact that it’s changing. It’s always inevitable what’s going to change, you already know where it’s going to head.
Because my relationship with Xinhua was built up over time, by 1999 it was a very solid relationship. But that year was the beginning of the dotcom crash. Nobody was interested in China. I put my own money into the company and people thought I was crazy. It was a very tumultuous time. The money that I and two other investors put into it was almost gone. I was worried about the payroll, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep at night and I had to tell my children that I had sunk all the money into this venture. I was able to raise some money and it felt better. But then 9/11 came, and SARS, and it was very difficult. It was the second most stressful time in my life.
What was the most stressful time in your life?
Being a single, teenage mom.
What was it like to go from an entrepreneur to becoming the CEO of a publicly listed company, when Xinhua Finance became the first non-Japanese company to launch an IPO in Tokyo in 2004?
The upside is that you have access to capital markets. The downside is that you’re subject to all the whims of the market. Your stock price goes up and down and it doesn’t always track your performance. It’s frustrating because you don’t have control over that. It does allow you to grow, it’s great for the staff and it’s a great exit for your shareholders. As the CEO, or the management, you have to stay focused on the bottom line and not be distracted by stock prices. Xinhua FTSE China index is the largest index in the world. I think we have about USD 140 billion under management.
You went from managing a staff of eight or nine to 2,000. What was that like?
Talk about a learning experience. When you’re eight people, you’re a family. When you’re 2,000 people, it’s hard to get your arms around them. I used to know everyone’s name, and about their husbands and wives, but I can’t do that anymore, and I do miss that. When you’re a small company, you can control everything. You have your finger on every button. But as you get bigger and bigger, you have to give a lot of authority away. It’s ironic; the more power your give away, the more power you have; it’s counterintuitive. It took time to realize that the more trust I put in people, the better the company became.
Last year an investor filed a lawsuit accusing Xinhua Finance Media of misrepresenting material facts in its IPO prospectus by not disclosing that its CFO was under investigation by the SEC. Can you comment on the negative publicity the trial brought your company?
We said at the time when the allegations were made that they were inaccurate and unfounded, and we were proved to be right and they were dismissed. I find it interesting that the media hasn’t put as much intensity on the dismissal of the unfounded allegations as on hearsay. But it is my opinion that some journalists have treated our success unfairly.
Stock prices for both Xinhua Finance and Xinhua Finance Media have dipped dramatically this year. Are you worried?
In terms of stock prices, one of the greatest frustrations is that you can’t control your stock price, and I certainly can’t control the media, so I . . . control our business performance, and sooner or later, the media and market will see what this company does. Xinhua Finance Group is strong and we hit our numbers quarter after quarter; we have a good company. So I try not to focus on things we can’t control and focus [only] on things we can.
You stepped down from the role of CEO at Xinhua Finance Limited earlier this year to become executive vice-chairman. Why did you do this?
EFor better corporate governance, and to comply with the stringent rules of the Sarbanes-Oxley Acts in the US.
Where do you see your company’s largest growth in the next five-to-10 years?
I think content is going to be king. It’s becoming extremely important in China, with such a fragmented marketplace and so many different ways to distribute content, but insufficient high-quality content in the market. And if content is king, access is key. Having the ability to offer content and sell ads and sponsorship, I think there will be big growth there.
Tell me about your charity work.
My personal charity helps girls in poor provinces of China get an education. If girls are not in high school, their culture and community force them into marriage and a lifetime of poverty. That struck very much at my heart. We don’t just contribute money; we actually dig the ditches and stack the bricks. It’s really changed their lives.
What are some of the major East-West differences in doing business?
In America, we tend to be very aggressive, very blunt. We do business via fax, phone, but we don’t need to believe that there’s a relationship there, as long as it’s a financial relationship. In the East, the relationship is very important, nothing happens very quickly and face is very important. You can’t be rude or discourteous. It’s a 180-degree difference. I had to tell the Asians not to be offended and tell the Americans not to be offensive. In America, you have 30-40 page contracts, and that governs, whereas in Asia, you sign a one-page memo and it’s the relationship that governs.
Do you feel that your lack of education has been a help or a hindrance?
I’ve felt both. I don’t recommend that anyone not get a college education. Everywhere you go, people ask you, where did you get your degree? When you’re very poor and very young, nobody thinks you’re hirable. On the flip side, some of my business successes have been due to me feeling it in my bones. I know a trend is moving and a market is coming. There’s an intuition; I’ve always been able to sense the trends and we at Xinhua have been at the forefront of many of them. Because I don’t know any better, I just think, okay, I can make that work and I go there. It’s been very successful so far.
How much of your success was about being in the right place at the right time?
I do think that luck played into it. But when I saw opportunities, I took them. I always wanted to seize the moment. And in an emerging market, there are so many opportunities.
Any regrets?
Just one: no college education. It still haunts me, even now. I can’t tick that box next to college education on my Chinese work visa application, so I cannot get a work visa, which is one of the reasons I have to work six months [of the year] outside of China. I did the health check-up, everything, but I couldn’t check that box, so no work visa.
Thirty years ago Fredy Bush was a teenage single mother on welfare in Utah. Now, she’s the CEO of a multi-million-dollar listed company. Bush is CEO and founder of Xinhua Finance Media Limited (新华财经媒体), a NASDAQ-listed media content and distribution company, as well as executive vice-chairman of Tokyo-listed Xinhua Finance Limited (新华财经有限公司), the leading provider of China-based financial news and indices, which Bush established in 1999, in partnership with the Xinhua News Agency.
But it hasn’t been a trouble-free journey from Utah to Shanghai; from tackling the humiliation of using food stamps to weathering the economic downturns of 9/11 and SARS, and, most recently, seeing her company’s share price crash, Bush’s emergence as one of Asia’s most important financial media figures has been extremely eventful. She sat down with CIB last month to discuss the triumphs and challenges of her career so far.
You had no formal college education. Can you tell us about your background?
I was a young mother. I’ve been a single mother most of my adult life. Due to my need to support the kids, I didn’t have the opportunity to go to college, but because of my desire to support the kids, I also had drive.
Most of my career has been built on that. I had my son when I was 16 and he’s now 31. I was raised in a culture in Utah where women had children very young. Women were meant to get married and raise children. I did odd jobs, clerking and secretarial work. Being a single mom was tough, to manage work and home. Every parent goes through that: how much time can you spend at the office and how much time can you spend at home?
When did you realize your life was not going to be like that of other women in Utah?
A big part of me always wanted to break out. There’s such an incredible gender bias. I’m the sixth of eight children. There came a point where I knew that I wanted to define my life for myself, rather than let the male elders in my community do it for me, which is why I left the US. I took a job in Taiwan in 1985 simply because it was going to pay me more than what I could make with my background. It broke me out of my community. I was about 26 at the time.
How did the move to Taiwan come about?
I was working as a clerk in Utah, and my bosses had family back in Taiwan and asked if I was interested in a position with the Taiwan Feed & Grain Association. Those early years were really what led me to do what I’ve done in China, to create the charities and the company I have.
Did you ever imagine your life would be where it is now?
No. But I did have the determination from being on welfare that I wasn’t going to stay there. I was going to do everything I could do to get my children out of that demographic. Now they are both graduated from college, and married. When I moved to Taiwan, I took a big risk. I didn’t know the culture. I didn’t know anything. But I did understand the opportunities Asia provided. I got here when Asia was emerging. Taiwan began to change, with capital markets and so forth. I started up consulting, which led to my doing consulting for [the Chinese mainland], which led to Xinhua.
You brought about a major transformation of Taiwan’s commodities markets. How did this come about?
People [in Taiwan] were already buying commodities, they [just] didn’t have the legal ability to hedge. So the first thing I started doing was to ask the regulatory authorities in the US to come to Taiwan and to talk to the regulatory bodies to develop the ability to hedge. That eventually led to Taiwan mirroring the US.
How were you able to achieve this?
Because I put my hand out. I knew what problems existed in Taiwan and I knew what the market was like in the US.
How did you go from this to starting up Xinhua Finance?
Once hedging became legal in 1989, what quickly happened was [investors] needed data to trade. If you don’t have the quote, or real-time news, you can’t hedge efficiently. The next milestone was saying: all that data is available, we just have to bring it here. I wasn’t the only one doing it, but my success came from the fact that I was offering it for free. I was young and I didn’t have the resumé, so I took the risk. I structured the business so that as long as clients did business with partners, then I got paid. It certainly made me work really hard because I had to make sure that relationships worked.
The next big breakthrough was when I met a small division of Xinhua News Agency, where I did a very simple transaction for them when they needed some commodity quotes from the West. It was a very small step, but it was the seed of a relationship that has existed now since 1992.
When did you start focusing on the Chinese mainland?
I moved to [the Chinese mainland] in 1992. When I got [here], Taiwan was [this] microcosm and China was this huge market that I believed was going to emerge. And it turned out that way. China is enormous; more internet users, more television viewers. My relationship with Xinhua started with commodity quotes, and it grew from there. In 1999, we thought China was going to get into the World Trade Organization, so I thought a good business plan would be to found a company that created financial information infrastructure to international standards. That was the basic idea. I took this to Xinhua News Agency and they agreed that it could be a good business, so we started Xinhua Finance Limited in 1999.
It took almost seven years between your first contact with Xinhua and setting up Xinhua Finance Limited. What happened during that period?
I was in Hong Kong, Shanghai, here and there. When markets emerge, you can be anywhere, and opportunities come from the fact that it’s changing. It’s always inevitable what’s going to change, you already know where it’s going to head.
Because my relationship with Xinhua was built up over time, by 1999 it was a very solid relationship. But that year was the beginning of the dotcom crash. Nobody was interested in China. I put my own money into the company and people thought I was crazy. It was a very tumultuous time. The money that I and two other investors put into it was almost gone. I was worried about the payroll, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep at night and I had to tell my children that I had sunk all the money into this venture. I was able to raise some money and it felt better. But then 9/11 came, and SARS, and it was very difficult. It was the second most stressful time in my life.
What was the most stressful time in your life?
Being a single, teenage mom.
What was it like to go from an entrepreneur to becoming the CEO of a publicly listed company, when Xinhua Finance became the first non-Japanese company to launch an IPO in Tokyo in 2004?
The upside is that you have access to capital markets. The downside is that you’re subject to all the whims of the market. Your stock price goes up and down and it doesn’t always track your performance. It’s frustrating because you don’t have control over that. It does allow you to grow, it’s great for the staff and it’s a great exit for your shareholders. As the CEO, or the management, you have to stay focused on the bottom line and not be distracted by stock prices. Xinhua FTSE China index is the largest index in the world. I think we have about USD 140 billion under management.
You went from managing a staff of eight or nine to 2,000. What was that like?
Talk about a learning experience. When you’re eight people, you’re a family. When you’re 2,000 people, it’s hard to get your arms around them. I used to know everyone’s name, and about their husbands and wives, but I can’t do that anymore, and I do miss that. When you’re a small company, you can control everything. You have your finger on every button. But as you get bigger and bigger, you have to give a lot of authority away. It’s ironic; the more power your give away, the more power you have; it’s counterintuitive. It took time to realize that the more trust I put in people, the better the company became.
Last year an investor filed a lawsuit accusing Xinhua Finance Media of misrepresenting material facts in its IPO prospectus by not disclosing that its CFO was under investigation by the SEC. Can you comment on the negative publicity the trial brought your company?
We said at the time when the allegations were made that they were inaccurate and unfounded, and we were proved to be right and they were dismissed. I find it interesting that the media hasn’t put as much intensity on the dismissal of the unfounded allegations as on hearsay. But it is my opinion that some journalists have treated our success unfairly.
Stock prices for both Xinhua Finance and Xinhua Finance Media have dipped dramatically this year. Are you worried?
In terms of stock prices, one of the greatest frustrations is that you can’t control your stock price, and I certainly can’t control the media, so I . . . control our business performance, and sooner or later, the media and market will see what this company does. Xinhua Finance Group is strong and we hit our numbers quarter after quarter; we have a good company. So I try not to focus on things we can’t control and focus [only] on things we can.
You stepped down from the role of CEO at Xinhua Finance Limited earlier this year to become executive vice-chairman. Why did you do this?
EFor better corporate governance, and to comply with the stringent rules of the Sarbanes-Oxley Acts in the US.
Where do you see your company’s largest growth in the next five-to-10 years?
I think content is going to be king. It’s becoming extremely important in China, with such a fragmented marketplace and so many different ways to distribute content, but insufficient high-quality content in the market. And if content is king, access is key. Having the ability to offer content and sell ads and sponsorship, I think there will be big growth there.
Tell me about your charity work.
My personal charity helps girls in poor provinces of China get an education. If girls are not in high school, their culture and community force them into marriage and a lifetime of poverty. That struck very much at my heart. We don’t just contribute money; we actually dig the ditches and stack the bricks. It’s really changed their lives.
What are some of the major East-West differences in doing business?
In America, we tend to be very aggressive, very blunt. We do business via fax, phone, but we don’t need to believe that there’s a relationship there, as long as it’s a financial relationship. In the East, the relationship is very important, nothing happens very quickly and face is very important. You can’t be rude or discourteous. It’s a 180-degree difference. I had to tell the Asians not to be offended and tell the Americans not to be offensive. In America, you have 30-40 page contracts, and that governs, whereas in Asia, you sign a one-page memo and it’s the relationship that governs.
Do you feel that your lack of education has been a help or a hindrance?
I’ve felt both. I don’t recommend that anyone not get a college education. Everywhere you go, people ask you, where did you get your degree? When you’re very poor and very young, nobody thinks you’re hirable. On the flip side, some of my business successes have been due to me feeling it in my bones. I know a trend is moving and a market is coming. There’s an intuition; I’ve always been able to sense the trends and we at Xinhua have been at the forefront of many of them. Because I don’t know any better, I just think, okay, I can make that work and I go there. It’s been very successful so far.
How much of your success was about being in the right place at the right time?
I do think that luck played into it. But when I saw opportunities, I took them. I always wanted to seize the moment. And in an emerging market, there are so many opportunities.
Any regrets?
Just one: no college education. It still haunts me, even now. I can’t tick that box next to college education on my Chinese work visa application, so I cannot get a work visa, which is one of the reasons I have to work six months [of the year] outside of China. I did the health check-up, everything, but I couldn’t check that box, so no work visa.
Report: China's online advertising revenue grew 5.9 percent over the same periond last year (Chinese)
DCCI, May 19, 2009 (http://news.xinhuanet.com/zgjx/2009-05/19/content_11402438.htm )
将于7月9日在北京举办的中国互动营销领域标志性盛典Adworld2009互动营销世界夏，日前，主办方DCCI互联网数据中心发布了中国互联网市场发展的部分关键数据。
数据显示，中国网络广告营收规模同比增长5.9%，增速显著放缓，总体市场状况不如预期乐观。DCCI预计2009年度网络广告市场整体增长率为25%，低于原来预期4个百分点。
DCCI互联网数据中心在线发布了"第一季度互联网市场监测数据"报告，多项市场调研、媒体监测与受众统计数据显示，2009年中国互联网广告市场呈现十个方面的发展趋向：
走向1：广告主的跨媒介营销需求日趋强烈，互联网与传统媒体的整合营销仍初探索阶段。监测数据表明，在目前经济的大背景下，广告主对网络广告的投放更为重视，尤其是互联网营销与传统营销的结合所产生的真正的整合营销。但许多广告主对如何分配互联网与传统媒体的广告投放比例，以及如何合理的发挥各自的优势进行整合营销仍处于探索阶段。
走向2：广告主、代理对网络营销工具需求迫切，网络广告监测、效果评估技术工具发展迅速。由AdMedia Partners提供的一项全球范围的研究结果发现，27%的营销人员打算增加在营销研究方面的开支。国外的一些公司也已经走在了前面，比如Google和WPP共同发起的网络广告研究，可看作经济危机下代理公司与媒介的一种新的产业生态。国内方面，在网络营销分析、网络广告监测、效果评估的方法、技术、工具方面同样有着迫切的需求和良好的发展。
走向3：搜索引擎商业模式、技术升级竞争进入新阶段。2009年将会成为搜索引擎发展的重要一年，中国搜索引擎市场的竞争将进入新阶段。先是推出定制广告工具，在成功解决了百代之外的唱片公司的版权问题之后，谷歌中国也在大陆推出了正版音乐搜索下载，从音乐这一百度的核心业务入手，显然是谷歌吸引用户的"杀手级"应用。另一方面，百度竞价排名商业模式的重构，"凤巢"系统的推出同样暗示出搜索引擎在2009年会步入一个新的发展阶段。
走向4：媒介碎片化加剧，广告长尾收割困难，价值与预期仍有差距。互联网媒介的发展经历了最初的泡沫破裂洗礼，已经日趋成熟，对于如何开发数量众多，但质量与门户、搜索等网站相差较大的中小网站的媒介价值，也成为广告主、网站联盟关心的问题。但是，应该看到，对于收割这部分媒介的长尾价值正面临着效果不如预期的尴尬局面，对于互联网媒介长尾的质疑也甚嚣尘上，广告主既无法控制投放媒介的质量，也无法得到科学、合理的广告效果监测数据，网站联盟与合作伙伴的关系也一定程度地面临着考验。因此，围绕"如何开发、收获互联网媒介的长尾价值，巩固与合作伙伴关系"这一核心命题将会主导未来广告联盟的商业生态设计。
走向5：视频网站的广告营销模式多元化、创新化促动视频网站有效发展。视频网站开始逐渐打破视频广告模式传统性、单一性的问题，即摆脱以视频硬广告（如插片广告）为主的时代，逐渐步入以多元化的视频广告营销模式时代，如拍客、原创征集、网剧植入、种子视频等模式正以用户更加深入体验品牌、更加发挥互联网的参与互动特性的视频广告特有的营销模式，更加有利于视频网站的广告盈利模式的发展。
走向6：垂直类媒体，尤其是定位越精准的媒体，在吸引受众关注、参与相关品牌信息或活动中有着非常明显的作用。DCCI在对多个品牌进行连续监测时发现，手机类品牌受众活跃度以IT&数码网站贡献最多；体育类产品中体育网站对品牌受众活跃度贡献位列第二，作用相当明显；其他产品类别，如汽车、笔记本电脑品牌，相应的汽车专业网站、IT数码网站对受众的活跃度也有着重要的贡献。
走向7：腾讯、淘宝等巨头纷纷加入，SNS 市场竞争进一步推向白热化。2009年一季度腾讯推出了其SNS的新产品QQ校友，该产品的主要目标锁定在校大学生群体；淘宝网也推出一项针对淘宝用户开发的SNS应用系统--淘江湖。国内目前火爆的SNS市场竞争进一步推向白热化。无论是传统的论坛、社区，还是新兴的大量获得VC青睐的SNS网站，基本目标都相同，即以在校大学生，或者年轻白领为目标受众，利用用户自身的关系形成社区，聚集人气，从而进行营销活动。未来国内的SNS市场竞争会进一步升级，用户会经历一个集中到分散再集中的发展趋势。
走向8：搜狐网游分拆上市，门户进入"后广告时代"。推出近一年的搜狐旗下游戏《天龙八部》不仅为搜狐带来了丰厚的收入，更为其在网络游戏领域积累了大量的经验。至此，门户网站的产品线似乎也逐渐清晰，搜狐、腾讯、网易都有了网络广告之外的有力盈利支撑点，尤其是网易，其门户和游戏运营企业的界限已经逐渐模糊。随着网络游戏产品的地位在各门户网站的提升，搜狐年内拆分网游单独上市或许将成为门户网站进入"后广告时代"的标志性事件，能否突破传统互联网企业的盈利模式桎梏，或许这一尝试将给出答案。
走向9：技术、资本、应用、需求共同推动移动互联网步入快速发展期，无线广告市场发展步入新阶段。随着三大运营商在3G方面业务的全面展开，流量资费的下降、无线上网本等终端的推广，互联网巨头的高调跟进，都显示出中国移动互联网步入快速发展期。目前，包括移动运营商、手机、电脑终端制造商、传统互联网服务商、无线服务提供商以及相关的技术企业纷纷发力，移动互联网展现出巨大的商机再次牵动起业内各方的神经。随着移动互联网在3G促动下的大规模发展，无线广告市场将逐渐步入新阶段。
走向10：用户对社交网站隐私保护力关注度持续升高，广告盈利模式挑战不容忽视。随着一些SNS社区的逐步兴起，越来越多的用户开始使用真实的注册信息在各类网站注册，用户在利用社区进行活动的同时也留下了在社区的行为偏好。而用户隐私保护意识越来越强，用户对个人信息是否被利用于商业目的越来越关注。利用网民注册信息、社区行为进行的数据挖掘并进行广告相对精准投放的盈利模式挑战不容忽视。
将于7月9日在北京举办的中国互动营销领域标志性盛典Adworld2009互动营销世界夏，日前，主办方DCCI互联网数据中心发布了中国互联网市场发展的部分关键数据。
数据显示，中国网络广告营收规模同比增长5.9%，增速显著放缓，总体市场状况不如预期乐观。DCCI预计2009年度网络广告市场整体增长率为25%，低于原来预期4个百分点。
DCCI互联网数据中心在线发布了"第一季度互联网市场监测数据"报告，多项市场调研、媒体监测与受众统计数据显示，2009年中国互联网广告市场呈现十个方面的发展趋向：
走向1：广告主的跨媒介营销需求日趋强烈，互联网与传统媒体的整合营销仍初探索阶段。监测数据表明，在目前经济的大背景下，广告主对网络广告的投放更为重视，尤其是互联网营销与传统营销的结合所产生的真正的整合营销。但许多广告主对如何分配互联网与传统媒体的广告投放比例，以及如何合理的发挥各自的优势进行整合营销仍处于探索阶段。
走向2：广告主、代理对网络营销工具需求迫切，网络广告监测、效果评估技术工具发展迅速。由AdMedia Partners提供的一项全球范围的研究结果发现，27%的营销人员打算增加在营销研究方面的开支。国外的一些公司也已经走在了前面，比如Google和WPP共同发起的网络广告研究，可看作经济危机下代理公司与媒介的一种新的产业生态。国内方面，在网络营销分析、网络广告监测、效果评估的方法、技术、工具方面同样有着迫切的需求和良好的发展。
走向3：搜索引擎商业模式、技术升级竞争进入新阶段。2009年将会成为搜索引擎发展的重要一年，中国搜索引擎市场的竞争将进入新阶段。先是推出定制广告工具，在成功解决了百代之外的唱片公司的版权问题之后，谷歌中国也在大陆推出了正版音乐搜索下载，从音乐这一百度的核心业务入手，显然是谷歌吸引用户的"杀手级"应用。另一方面，百度竞价排名商业模式的重构，"凤巢"系统的推出同样暗示出搜索引擎在2009年会步入一个新的发展阶段。
走向4：媒介碎片化加剧，广告长尾收割困难，价值与预期仍有差距。互联网媒介的发展经历了最初的泡沫破裂洗礼，已经日趋成熟，对于如何开发数量众多，但质量与门户、搜索等网站相差较大的中小网站的媒介价值，也成为广告主、网站联盟关心的问题。但是，应该看到，对于收割这部分媒介的长尾价值正面临着效果不如预期的尴尬局面，对于互联网媒介长尾的质疑也甚嚣尘上，广告主既无法控制投放媒介的质量，也无法得到科学、合理的广告效果监测数据，网站联盟与合作伙伴的关系也一定程度地面临着考验。因此，围绕"如何开发、收获互联网媒介的长尾价值，巩固与合作伙伴关系"这一核心命题将会主导未来广告联盟的商业生态设计。
走向5：视频网站的广告营销模式多元化、创新化促动视频网站有效发展。视频网站开始逐渐打破视频广告模式传统性、单一性的问题，即摆脱以视频硬广告（如插片广告）为主的时代，逐渐步入以多元化的视频广告营销模式时代，如拍客、原创征集、网剧植入、种子视频等模式正以用户更加深入体验品牌、更加发挥互联网的参与互动特性的视频广告特有的营销模式，更加有利于视频网站的广告盈利模式的发展。
走向6：垂直类媒体，尤其是定位越精准的媒体，在吸引受众关注、参与相关品牌信息或活动中有着非常明显的作用。DCCI在对多个品牌进行连续监测时发现，手机类品牌受众活跃度以IT&数码网站贡献最多；体育类产品中体育网站对品牌受众活跃度贡献位列第二，作用相当明显；其他产品类别，如汽车、笔记本电脑品牌，相应的汽车专业网站、IT数码网站对受众的活跃度也有着重要的贡献。
走向7：腾讯、淘宝等巨头纷纷加入，SNS 市场竞争进一步推向白热化。2009年一季度腾讯推出了其SNS的新产品QQ校友，该产品的主要目标锁定在校大学生群体；淘宝网也推出一项针对淘宝用户开发的SNS应用系统--淘江湖。国内目前火爆的SNS市场竞争进一步推向白热化。无论是传统的论坛、社区，还是新兴的大量获得VC青睐的SNS网站，基本目标都相同，即以在校大学生，或者年轻白领为目标受众，利用用户自身的关系形成社区，聚集人气，从而进行营销活动。未来国内的SNS市场竞争会进一步升级，用户会经历一个集中到分散再集中的发展趋势。
走向8：搜狐网游分拆上市，门户进入"后广告时代"。推出近一年的搜狐旗下游戏《天龙八部》不仅为搜狐带来了丰厚的收入，更为其在网络游戏领域积累了大量的经验。至此，门户网站的产品线似乎也逐渐清晰，搜狐、腾讯、网易都有了网络广告之外的有力盈利支撑点，尤其是网易，其门户和游戏运营企业的界限已经逐渐模糊。随着网络游戏产品的地位在各门户网站的提升，搜狐年内拆分网游单独上市或许将成为门户网站进入"后广告时代"的标志性事件，能否突破传统互联网企业的盈利模式桎梏，或许这一尝试将给出答案。
走向9：技术、资本、应用、需求共同推动移动互联网步入快速发展期，无线广告市场发展步入新阶段。随着三大运营商在3G方面业务的全面展开，流量资费的下降、无线上网本等终端的推广，互联网巨头的高调跟进，都显示出中国移动互联网步入快速发展期。目前，包括移动运营商、手机、电脑终端制造商、传统互联网服务商、无线服务提供商以及相关的技术企业纷纷发力，移动互联网展现出巨大的商机再次牵动起业内各方的神经。随着移动互联网在3G促动下的大规模发展，无线广告市场将逐渐步入新阶段。
走向10：用户对社交网站隐私保护力关注度持续升高，广告盈利模式挑战不容忽视。随着一些SNS社区的逐步兴起，越来越多的用户开始使用真实的注册信息在各类网站注册，用户在利用社区进行活动的同时也留下了在社区的行为偏好。而用户隐私保护意识越来越强，用户对个人信息是否被利用于商业目的越来越关注。利用网民注册信息、社区行为进行的数据挖掘并进行广告相对精准投放的盈利模式挑战不容忽视。
The Internet is turning Chinese
Business Intelligence Middle East, Apr 27, 2009 (http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=35306&t=1&c=33&cg=4&mset)
INTERNATIONAL. The English language has dominated the Internet since it began, and until recently has had very little competition for its number one position. With China now rising to become one of the fastest growing world powers, and experiencing the highest rate of Internet user growth ever seen, is this the decade we will see the Internet turn red?
bab.la has recently completed a research project aiming to show the gap between spoken languages and languages used on the Internet. Not surprisingly, the research confirms that Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. Despite this, it currently lags dramatically behind English on the Internet and is only the second-most used language on this all-important global resource.
English is 'spoken' on the web by around 450 million people, but Internet user growth in the English-speaking world is slowing. In contrast, the CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Centre) announced that the number of Chinese Internet users increased by 42% in 2008 to a total of 298 million, and has surpassed the US with its approximately 225 million users for the first time.
This high rate of growth is expected to have a significant impact on the Internet in the near future, but exactly how long will it take for these new users to start making a dent in the 'English-ness' of the web?
According to Erin Gallagher, part of the research team from bab.la, this may be sooner than we thought. "Based on the current levels of growth, we expect to see Chinese overtake English on the web within the next two to three years," says Gallagher.
Research from bab.la shows that Chinese is not the only language with the potential to overtake English on the web. India, Bangladesh and Indonesia all have the populations and user growth figures to impact web language statistics. In fact, many now see India as the 'new China', with even more potential for growth and development over the next generation.
The bab.la World Languages Map shows that Hindustani is in fact the next most-commonly spoken language after Chinese in Asia, giving further weight to this argument. Hindustani (the term for the associated dialects of Hindi and Urdu) is spoken by more than 900 million people, and yet it currently has a very small Internet presence. India's widespread potential for infrastructural development and rising purchasing power will positively affect the Internet penetration as it has done in China.
Gallagher said she believes India is in fact a "sleeping giant in the world of languages" and that it has the potential to be as big as China in terms of users and language presence on the net.
The first two decades of the World Wide Web have been the 'English years', the next decade will be Chinese. What is clear is that English is losing its stronghold, and a more worldwide, more accessible, more red web is on the way.
The bab.la World Languages Map can be accessed at en.bab.la/news/world-languages.html
Note: bab.la is an interactive language portal offering bilingual dictionaries, vocabulary lessons, language games, and topical quizzes all free. Currently available in 13 different languages (English, Chinese, German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Turkish), the site operates on a wiki-style model, allowing users to contribute content and feedback.
INTERNATIONAL. The English language has dominated the Internet since it began, and until recently has had very little competition for its number one position. With China now rising to become one of the fastest growing world powers, and experiencing the highest rate of Internet user growth ever seen, is this the decade we will see the Internet turn red?
bab.la has recently completed a research project aiming to show the gap between spoken languages and languages used on the Internet. Not surprisingly, the research confirms that Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. Despite this, it currently lags dramatically behind English on the Internet and is only the second-most used language on this all-important global resource.
English is 'spoken' on the web by around 450 million people, but Internet user growth in the English-speaking world is slowing. In contrast, the CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Centre) announced that the number of Chinese Internet users increased by 42% in 2008 to a total of 298 million, and has surpassed the US with its approximately 225 million users for the first time.
This high rate of growth is expected to have a significant impact on the Internet in the near future, but exactly how long will it take for these new users to start making a dent in the 'English-ness' of the web?
According to Erin Gallagher, part of the research team from bab.la, this may be sooner than we thought. "Based on the current levels of growth, we expect to see Chinese overtake English on the web within the next two to three years," says Gallagher.
Research from bab.la shows that Chinese is not the only language with the potential to overtake English on the web. India, Bangladesh and Indonesia all have the populations and user growth figures to impact web language statistics. In fact, many now see India as the 'new China', with even more potential for growth and development over the next generation.
The bab.la World Languages Map shows that Hindustani is in fact the next most-commonly spoken language after Chinese in Asia, giving further weight to this argument. Hindustani (the term for the associated dialects of Hindi and Urdu) is spoken by more than 900 million people, and yet it currently has a very small Internet presence. India's widespread potential for infrastructural development and rising purchasing power will positively affect the Internet penetration as it has done in China.
Gallagher said she believes India is in fact a "sleeping giant in the world of languages" and that it has the potential to be as big as China in terms of users and language presence on the net.
The first two decades of the World Wide Web have been the 'English years', the next decade will be Chinese. What is clear is that English is losing its stronghold, and a more worldwide, more accessible, more red web is on the way.
The bab.la World Languages Map can be accessed at en.bab.la/news/world-languages.html
Note: bab.la is an interactive language portal offering bilingual dictionaries, vocabulary lessons, language games, and topical quizzes all free. Currently available in 13 different languages (English, Chinese, German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Turkish), the site operates on a wiki-style model, allowing users to contribute content and feedback.
Chinese media revenue rose 20% (Chinese)
aaaadvertising, May 29, 2009 (http://www.aaaad.cn/html/59/n-23059.html)
（北京）根据一份由国家广电总局公布的报告，2008年中国广播，电影和电视产业的总收入强势增长，达到了人民币1,660亿元，比上一年同期增加了20％以上。
2009年的广播电影电视发展报告显示，广播和电视总收入比2008年同期增长了19.5％， 为人民币1,350亿元。
这两个行业的广告收入高达人民币702亿元 ，比上一年同期增加了近17％，很大部分的原因是由于围绕着奥运会为主题广告。
仅仅是广播广告收入就上升了超过10％，电视上升了17％。
与此同时，电影达到了人民币84亿元的毛收入，比上一年增加了25％。
（北京）根据一份由国家广电总局公布的报告，2008年中国广播，电影和电视产业的总收入强势增长，达到了人民币1,660亿元，比上一年同期增加了20％以上。
2009年的广播电影电视发展报告显示，广播和电视总收入比2008年同期增长了19.5％， 为人民币1,350亿元。
这两个行业的广告收入高达人民币702亿元 ，比上一年同期增加了近17％，很大部分的原因是由于围绕着奥运会为主题广告。
仅仅是广播广告收入就上升了超过10％，电视上升了17％。
与此同时，电影达到了人民币84亿元的毛收入，比上一年增加了25％。
Road Less Travelled -Interview with Fredy Bush
Originally published in The Peak magazine, Hong Kong, December 2008
"As the older and wiser person I am today, I look back and realise I took a risk for my family and it brought me to China," says Fredy Bush, eyes wide with excitement. "In thinking I was sacrificing for them, it actually gave me my life."
Download PDF (1.56 MB)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is quite an extraordinary statement for the founder and CEO of China’s leading financial news and data analysis company. But then Fredy Bush is no ordinary person. The head of Xinhua Finance and its subsidiary Xinhua Finance Media, she started life as what could be described as a second-class citizen in American’s most tightly religious state. In Utah, as a Mormon in a restricted, male-dominated society, the map of her life, like those of most women, was determined at birth-her primary role would be as wife and mother. And so, at the tender age of 19, Fredy Bush was married with two small children.
Perhaps if her husband had not died in a motorcycle accident when she was in her first year of college, she would still be an obedient housewife in Utah and Xinhua Finance would have been a distant possibility. The accident left her with few opportunities as an uneducated teenage mother. Poverty was her most daunting obstacle-she recalls being unable to the point of being homeless,” she says, in a way that suggests the wounds may not have healed completely. “You just don’t have any room.” Yet now she considers challenge a privilege and says that conquering the uphill battle added depth and understanding to her life.
It took an apparently inconsequential event to change her direction. While marking time in a doctor’s waiting room when one of her children became sick, she picked up a Reader’s Digest and happened to open it to an article on single undereducated teenage mothers.
The statistics stressed the likelihood that her offspring would not attend college but become blue-collar workers involved in drugs or alcohol: Then and there, Fredy Bush vowed never to let that happen.
Moving herself and her children out of Utah and its belief system, she found a job in California with a Taiwanese woman who mentioned lucrative positions for English-speakers working for government officials in Taiwan. In 1985, Fredy Bush and her children moved to Taipei.
FOREIGN FIELDS
It was a culture shock to say the least. Apart from the foreign customs and language, she hadn’t realized Taiwan was still under Chiang kai Shek’s martial law, impose in May 1949- the restrictions especially on free speech and the press were a stark contrast to what she had been used to in her native land. Still, her resolve held, and after finding work as an assistant to the secretary general of Taiwan, she started learning about trading in commodities.
In 1998, martial law was lifted, state-owned enterprises were privatized and the markets liberalized. It was the opportunity Fredy Bush needed. Having learnt Mandarin and having understood the world’s securities markets, she set up a consulting business helping multinational companies identify business opportunities in China, particularly offering advice on the creation of Taipei’s commodities futures market. Then, as China followed Taiwan’s example, in the mid-1990s Fredy Bush’s company linked up with Xinhua News, the official voice of China’s government, providing it with the financial information and analysis that would attract foreign firms to the rapidly expanding Chinese economy.
That led in 1999, to a proposal that the news agency invest in an international financial news and analysis services to which it would also license its name- although she realized( and ensured through links with foreign financial houses) that the business had to be seen as independent of any government control or manipulation.
Fredy Bush literally created indices, ratings, financial news, investor relations services and distribution in a time when none existed: She brought transparency to the Chinese market with disclosure and analysis of the performance of China’s major companies. She went on to found subsidiary Xinhua Finance Media, which distributes financial data, analysis and news through a television, radio, newspaper, magazine and online network.
In less than 10 years, she managed to list the companies on two major international markets: Mothers Board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange with a global lattice of 11 countries and the Nasdaq stock market.
A MAN’ S WORLD
Ironically, the blue-eyed blonde has found herself going from one male-dominated world to another-she is often the only woman in the boardroom. In the past, even though she was the CEO, negotiation dialogue was often directed to male counterparts rather than herself. It has taken a long process to prove herself, but, in the end, there was no denying shareholders were raking in profits. “You finally gain their respect where inevitably they say. “She makes us money so we kind of have to let her in.” she laughs.
The secret to making it, Bush says, is having a dream that excites, the courage to take a risk and , finally, persistence to never give up-particularly if you are an undervalued business woman. Amongst her many accolades, the most meaningful was the Wall Street Journal’s Top 50 Women to Watch award in 2004, because women’s contributions to business, society, charity and global corporate culture are so poorly recognized.
“There’s definitely a glass ceiling. As much as we’ve progressed, it’s still there.” She says. “My belief is that people don’t fail-they quit. I would encourage them not to.” Her kids, after all, represented all the motivation she needed to persevere. They were the catalyst that propelled Bush into one of the most dynamic emerging markets in the world and her involvement in China’s changing regulatory structure presented an undreamed of career opportunity. “It’s pretty historic in a lot of ways.” She smiles. “Our company plays a tiny role in all of that but it’s what makes me want to get out of bed every single day. It’s such an incredible place to do business.”
Asked if she would change any aspect of her past, Fredy Bush answers immediately that she would have enrolled in college had she been able to afford it. She still managed to beat the statistics by putting both her children through university and any future grandchildren will have the same advantages.
FULL CIRCLE
In fact, education remains so close to Bush’s heart she founded the Chazara Foundation to provide girls in poverty-stricken Chinese provinces like Ningxia with schooling. Annual high-school fees account for more than half an average household’s yearly income and boys usually have priority- if the chance ever even arises.
The next step was creating the Xinhua Finance Library Foundation to build libraries in poor villages, further giving children with no formal education a head start. So far, three libraries have been built in Ningxia and another in Inner Mongolia, with a total of 7,000 donated books. Bush has every intention of immersing herself fully in charity work when she retires.
The main dilemma she face now is how to raise the visibility and encourage involvement in the tow foundations without making them overly large and impersonal. She is intent on avoiding overheads that result in a small percentage of every dollar reaching those in need. At present, only one member of staff oversees the charities, allowing the majority of the funds to go directly to students and books.
Yet she remains personally fully involved. Every Friday night, she takes home a stack of folders and the following morning, writes letters to pupils sponsored by the Chazara Foundation. With more than 1,000 students to date, keeping abreast of correspondence is no mean feat. However, she wouldn’t have it any other way and takes the same approach with the Library Foundation.
“Rather than just writing a cheque and feeling like we’ve done our charitable deed, we actually dig the people in the village,” Fredy Bush divulges, with the hope that the tight-knit bond with her students will continue well after they complete there studies. She is keen to know when they marry or reach other turning points in life, much as if they were her own. Many wonder how they can repay Bush but she asks only in return that they pass on the goodwill.
She also hopes those supported by the Chazara Foundation may one day return to volunteer themselves. With so much time dedicated to her family, biological and other, it’s no wonder that, several years ago, Fredy Bush wondered if the trade-offs she was making for her nearest and dearest meant giving up a life she never had. But, as she says, she now realizes it was precisely that sacrifice that has made her life such a success.
"As the older and wiser person I am today, I look back and realise I took a risk for my family and it brought me to China," says Fredy Bush, eyes wide with excitement. "In thinking I was sacrificing for them, it actually gave me my life."
Download PDF (1.56 MB)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is quite an extraordinary statement for the founder and CEO of China’s leading financial news and data analysis company. But then Fredy Bush is no ordinary person. The head of Xinhua Finance and its subsidiary Xinhua Finance Media, she started life as what could be described as a second-class citizen in American’s most tightly religious state. In Utah, as a Mormon in a restricted, male-dominated society, the map of her life, like those of most women, was determined at birth-her primary role would be as wife and mother. And so, at the tender age of 19, Fredy Bush was married with two small children.
Perhaps if her husband had not died in a motorcycle accident when she was in her first year of college, she would still be an obedient housewife in Utah and Xinhua Finance would have been a distant possibility. The accident left her with few opportunities as an uneducated teenage mother. Poverty was her most daunting obstacle-she recalls being unable to the point of being homeless,” she says, in a way that suggests the wounds may not have healed completely. “You just don’t have any room.” Yet now she considers challenge a privilege and says that conquering the uphill battle added depth and understanding to her life.
It took an apparently inconsequential event to change her direction. While marking time in a doctor’s waiting room when one of her children became sick, she picked up a Reader’s Digest and happened to open it to an article on single undereducated teenage mothers.
The statistics stressed the likelihood that her offspring would not attend college but become blue-collar workers involved in drugs or alcohol: Then and there, Fredy Bush vowed never to let that happen.
Moving herself and her children out of Utah and its belief system, she found a job in California with a Taiwanese woman who mentioned lucrative positions for English-speakers working for government officials in Taiwan. In 1985, Fredy Bush and her children moved to Taipei.
FOREIGN FIELDS
It was a culture shock to say the least. Apart from the foreign customs and language, she hadn’t realized Taiwan was still under Chiang kai Shek’s martial law, impose in May 1949- the restrictions especially on free speech and the press were a stark contrast to what she had been used to in her native land. Still, her resolve held, and after finding work as an assistant to the secretary general of Taiwan, she started learning about trading in commodities.
In 1998, martial law was lifted, state-owned enterprises were privatized and the markets liberalized. It was the opportunity Fredy Bush needed. Having learnt Mandarin and having understood the world’s securities markets, she set up a consulting business helping multinational companies identify business opportunities in China, particularly offering advice on the creation of Taipei’s commodities futures market. Then, as China followed Taiwan’s example, in the mid-1990s Fredy Bush’s company linked up with Xinhua News, the official voice of China’s government, providing it with the financial information and analysis that would attract foreign firms to the rapidly expanding Chinese economy.
That led in 1999, to a proposal that the news agency invest in an international financial news and analysis services to which it would also license its name- although she realized( and ensured through links with foreign financial houses) that the business had to be seen as independent of any government control or manipulation.
Fredy Bush literally created indices, ratings, financial news, investor relations services and distribution in a time when none existed: She brought transparency to the Chinese market with disclosure and analysis of the performance of China’s major companies. She went on to found subsidiary Xinhua Finance Media, which distributes financial data, analysis and news through a television, radio, newspaper, magazine and online network.
In less than 10 years, she managed to list the companies on two major international markets: Mothers Board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange with a global lattice of 11 countries and the Nasdaq stock market.
A MAN’ S WORLD
Ironically, the blue-eyed blonde has found herself going from one male-dominated world to another-she is often the only woman in the boardroom. In the past, even though she was the CEO, negotiation dialogue was often directed to male counterparts rather than herself. It has taken a long process to prove herself, but, in the end, there was no denying shareholders were raking in profits. “You finally gain their respect where inevitably they say. “She makes us money so we kind of have to let her in.” she laughs.
The secret to making it, Bush says, is having a dream that excites, the courage to take a risk and , finally, persistence to never give up-particularly if you are an undervalued business woman. Amongst her many accolades, the most meaningful was the Wall Street Journal’s Top 50 Women to Watch award in 2004, because women’s contributions to business, society, charity and global corporate culture are so poorly recognized.
“There’s definitely a glass ceiling. As much as we’ve progressed, it’s still there.” She says. “My belief is that people don’t fail-they quit. I would encourage them not to.” Her kids, after all, represented all the motivation she needed to persevere. They were the catalyst that propelled Bush into one of the most dynamic emerging markets in the world and her involvement in China’s changing regulatory structure presented an undreamed of career opportunity. “It’s pretty historic in a lot of ways.” She smiles. “Our company plays a tiny role in all of that but it’s what makes me want to get out of bed every single day. It’s such an incredible place to do business.”
Asked if she would change any aspect of her past, Fredy Bush answers immediately that she would have enrolled in college had she been able to afford it. She still managed to beat the statistics by putting both her children through university and any future grandchildren will have the same advantages.
FULL CIRCLE
In fact, education remains so close to Bush’s heart she founded the Chazara Foundation to provide girls in poverty-stricken Chinese provinces like Ningxia with schooling. Annual high-school fees account for more than half an average household’s yearly income and boys usually have priority- if the chance ever even arises.
The next step was creating the Xinhua Finance Library Foundation to build libraries in poor villages, further giving children with no formal education a head start. So far, three libraries have been built in Ningxia and another in Inner Mongolia, with a total of 7,000 donated books. Bush has every intention of immersing herself fully in charity work when she retires.
The main dilemma she face now is how to raise the visibility and encourage involvement in the tow foundations without making them overly large and impersonal. She is intent on avoiding overheads that result in a small percentage of every dollar reaching those in need. At present, only one member of staff oversees the charities, allowing the majority of the funds to go directly to students and books.
Yet she remains personally fully involved. Every Friday night, she takes home a stack of folders and the following morning, writes letters to pupils sponsored by the Chazara Foundation. With more than 1,000 students to date, keeping abreast of correspondence is no mean feat. However, she wouldn’t have it any other way and takes the same approach with the Library Foundation.
“Rather than just writing a cheque and feeling like we’ve done our charitable deed, we actually dig the people in the village,” Fredy Bush divulges, with the hope that the tight-knit bond with her students will continue well after they complete there studies. She is keen to know when they marry or reach other turning points in life, much as if they were her own. Many wonder how they can repay Bush but she asks only in return that they pass on the goodwill.
She also hopes those supported by the Chazara Foundation may one day return to volunteer themselves. With so much time dedicated to her family, biological and other, it’s no wonder that, several years ago, Fredy Bush wondered if the trade-offs she was making for her nearest and dearest meant giving up a life she never had. But, as she says, she now realizes it was precisely that sacrifice that has made her life such a success.
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