After the news of Yinlong’s recent coaching change, the discussion about Dong Mingzhu started again.
In the new changes, Yinlong founder team withdrew from the company's top management, Yinlong vice president, former general manager of Gree Zhengzhou, Lai Xinhua took over as president. Dong Mingzhu once used Yinlong technology platform on several occasions, but also repeatedly Mentioned Yin Long’s extensive management problem. At the same time as Wei Yincang, the former chairman of Yinlong, on the same stage, for Dong Mingzhu’s strict request, Wei Xiaoxie called 'best effort' and Dong Mingzhu immediately responded. 'Not a best effort, it is necessary. !'
The high exposure rate is often accompanied by high controversy. In recent years, when Dong Mingzhu was on the occasion, there seemed to be no shortage of 'topics.' 'Poor one cent is also a gap. 'Another interview with the Beijing News recently responded to Lei Jun’s 'Billion Billing', Dong Mingzhu's discourse is concise and resolute. This is the style she has always been, a person who is extremely determined about her own opinions and decisions. However, this kind of ruling is sometimes regarded as obstinate, especially in the fluctuation of Gree's performance. At the time.
In the face of the controversy, Dong Mingzhu once said something very unusual: 'Nobody hates not being perfect.' She said that she would never give in on principle issues.
China’s home appliance industry was once the place where star entrepreneurs were born most, and was also the place where stars fell most. Chun Lin’s Tao Jianxin, Ke Long’s Penning, etc. were all dusty names in the era. But Dong Mingzhu’s Gree mastered the core Technology's still loud.
Recently, the Beijing News reporter directly or indirectly talked with Dong Mingzhu himself, former chairman of Gree Zhu Jianghong, Gree new and old employees, suppliers, and industry experts. Dong Mingzhu, from a multi-perspective perspective, had the arrogance of a strong businessman. There is also a pattern of entrepreneurs.
The coexistence of ambition and patience behind 'billion betting'
A curly shoulder, a light lip, a beige turtleneck with a chequered wide-leg trousers, and a smile, she will raise the face of a well-known female reporter. Another hug, this is in front of the Beijing News reporter in mid-March. Dong Mingzhu.
It's hard to imagine that this is one of the most powerful people in China's home appliance industry. The opponent's eye-catching role in 'peach blossoming and grass' is not. Dong Mingzhu pays attention to his instrument and loves to wear maxi skirts in summer instead of professional suits. It seems that There is still a 30-year-old aesthetic before the big change, but apart from that, 'Tong Gree' is her full connotation. She once said that her style of work is 'responsibility needs', 'If I do not become a director, I believe In three or five months, I will return to my original, more easy-going ', but she also mentioned that I have a tough thing in my bones.
In 1990, 36-year-old Dong Mingzhu joined Gree as a business manager. In the first two years, her sales in Anhui exceeded 16 million yuan, accounting for 1/8 of the entire company. The start was beautiful and her stamina was sufficient. In 2017, Dong Mingzhu’s independence He has been in charge of Gree Electric Appliances for five years. Gree's revenue for this five-year period was 1.9 times that of the past 21 years. The profit was nearly 4 times and the net profit rate was 15%. This group was quoted repeatedly by the outside world and was almost the same as Dong Mingzhu's. 'Discourse weight index'.
She often emphasizes her relationship with Gree's life and death. 'You have a personal opinion of me. Gree can't.' But in the past few years, Gree's controversy has not stopped. The outside world's Dong Mingzhu and Lei Jun's 1 billion yuan. The topics of “competition” and “diversity traps” were tightly grasped. She had either conflicted with her, or she had brought it lightly. When interviewed by the Beijing News last year, she replied, 'The media hype about gambling is boring.' Again.
However, in the face of the media recently, she smiled even more and seemed to be more relaxed. From the published financial results for the first three quarters of 2017, Gree’s performance was picking up.
At the two sessions, she and Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun were on the same channel as representatives. Both talked about making in China. The betting deal triggered another wave of arguments. This time she did not evade the reporter.
'5 years is coming. Do you still remember this agreement?'
Dong Mingzhu: 'How can I not remember just 5 years?'
'Do you still have confidence now? Lei Jun seems to be in hot pursuit.'
Dong Mingzhu: 'Hurry chase... a penny, it's a gap. I don't think this is a platform at all, because he is basically based on OEM.'
For the gambling contract, the reporter recently contacted Lei Jun without getting a reply. However, one month after starting the gambling agreement at the end of 2013, he said on Weibo that 'Dong Mingzhu is a Zhuhai entrepreneur I respect, Gree is a pillar company in Zhuhai. , Talking about the development of Xiaomi itself, not talking about a billion games!'
In 2015, Xiaomi used to join the United States in the air conditioning field. In the same year, Gree began to promote Gree mobile phones.
This group of outsiders call the 'do not understand' the layout is actually two people's strength? In terms of Gree, Dong Mingzhu has described the ambition to do mobile phones: 'to sell 50 million in 2015', 'My old user To get my cell phone, I hope he can use it for three years... but after three years, I must let him change, 'My cell phone is the first in the world, and 2 meters fall is not bad' ... but In the eyes of the outside world, such ambition is Dong Mingzhu's unwillingness to act.
During the interview, Dong Mingzhu told reporters: 'While I can’t do tens of millions of computers today, and even millions of my mobile phones, I hope that these 1 million consumers will only use me. The phone, they all agree, I think it is a success. 'She said, 'Because many people are using this phone, compared to my air conditioner with my other products, my air conditioner has taken the absolute lead in the world. I am not an immortal, that is, if I do better, I have to accept this process, right?
Words are still full of confidence, but she did not emphasize 'big goals' nor did she refute them in a hard-line manner. Instead, she talked about the early days of serving consumers. Perhaps after revealing Gree’s diversified ambitions, Dong Mingzhu is now more in need. It is the outside world's confidence and patience with Gree.
The road to diversification: Willingness or determination?
Dong Mingzhu's discourse system is composed of 'yes or no' and there is almost no middle ground. She is a person who is absolutely determined by her decision. When asked by others, 'Do you have any doubts in your heart?' She asked in reverse: 'Why do I suspect I? I never misjudged. 'She continued to ask, 'My own product is not confident, how can someone else have confidence?'
According to industry forecasts, Gree’s revenue in 2017 will reach approximately 150 billion yuan (the first three quarters of the published data is 110.875 billion yuan). Dong Mingzhu’s 2012 annual growth of 20 billion yuan in the 'future five years' is still in the ears. , After experiencing the declining performance in 2015 and 2016, Gree seems to have returned to the 'sprint track'.
This good news happened at the key node before Gree's board election.
It is generally believed that this year's general election, Dong Mingzhu’s re-election of the chairman of the board is almost unresolved. One person who had contacted Zhu Jianghong, former Chairman of Gree Electric, told the reporter that Zhu Jianghong also believes that Zhuhai City may not recommend it for the sake of enterprise stability. For new candidates, if you recommend new candidates, you must consider the risks, but if you can't pick them up, you have no idea.
After answering 'After joining Gree, have you ever wondered how long you would devote to this company'? Dong Mingzhu told the Beijing News reporter: 'At that time, Gree did not even think about how long I was here. How long would it be for us? For a generation, without this idea, the career we choose needs a lifetime.
However, the number of warming still did not dispel the question that hovered over her since 2015.
Dong Mingzhu's determination was countered by some voices as 'sticking to one's intention', saying that she had caused 'one singles champion' Gree to fall into the 'diversity trap', and that Gree’s revenue structure had become the most specific 'target' for external attacks on Dong Mingzhu. : Dasong Life Appliance was established in 2013, and it is clearly stated that 'diversification' will be promoted in 2014, and the mobile phone will be launched in 2015... Dong Mingzhu has been trying in other fields, but from 2013 to 2016, Gree’s air-conditioning revenue accounted for The proportion of overall revenue dropped from 89% to 81%.
Does Gree really need to diversify?
Under Zhu Hongzhi, Gree has always been synonymous with professionalism. A former employee who worked in Gree for nearly a decade mentioned to reporters, 'Gree established an investment management department in the late 1990s to explore kitchen appliances. On the other hand, there was no way to start. It was probably what Zhu always meant. He felt that the air conditioning was not done. He did other things. Of course did you say he was wrong? That's right. It was in the late 1990s.
To this day, despite grim comments on the diversified layout of Gree Electric Appliances, home appliance expert Liu Buying said when interviewed that from professionalism to diversification, 'it must be' an inevitable choice for Gree. 'All major companies' development path is like this. . 'But he believes that Gree's current layout lacks logic and details the irrationality of its incoming mobile phone industry in terms of sales, channels, and brands.
However, in Dong Mingzhu's view, Gree has a core advantage in making mobile phones. On the one hand, Gree has very good control over quality. On the other hand, mobile phones will become smart home entrances, and Gree can integrate other electrical products. Liu Buchen expressed this : 'When companies do mobile phones, they say they want to find an intelligent control portal, but some succeed, some fail.'
The old rivals, the United States and Gree, are two completely different development paths. In fact, the former’s “cross-border” approach has grown even further. Ten years ago, it entered the fields of real estate and buses, etc. The diversification of enterprises has two steps. The first step is related to diversification, followed by weakly related diversification, or irrelevant diversification. The relevant diversification of the United States was completed as early as in 2000, and Gree was in diversified layout time. Not long, some businesses have skipped the relevant diversification stage.
However, Dong Mingzhu naturally will not be entirely betting on the Gree mobile phone in this business, perhaps because of the latter's controversy and topicality, the layout of the 2B end, the more macro layout was obscured in the discussion. Dong Mingzhu around a The first sentence the staff member told reporters was that Gree was transforming into a diversified industrial group. In the future, Gree’s label will no longer be 'household appliances' but 'Seiko Manufacturing'. This layout is said to have been in place since 2012. .
'Net Red Entrepreneurs' Look for Ironman Management
Every morning, tens of thousands of employees flocked to the 1,500-mu Gree Park. Every night, they plucked and fell. Like many of the heads of labor-intensive enterprises, Dong Mingzhu was very concerned about his The company's control of power. Liu Buchen said, 'Geli spends a penny and she wants to sign'.
Dong Mingzhu is called 'Internet Red Entrepreneur' and does not use stars to advertise. He personally speaks Gree's products and binds his own image with Gree's brand. Gree Mobile's boot screen is Dong Mingzhu and has caused a lot of criticism.
In response, she said in an interview with the media: 'I said that I was the head of Gree, and I told you that if you have any problems with the products you buy, I will be responsible for them. You can find me. If you are a star, you may not be able to find it. Who are you looking for? You can find me. This is the reason why I advertise myself.
This brand strategy may have concerns about the hidden dangers of control over dispersed equity. Once Gree Electric and Zhuhai SASAC's 'parent-sex conflict' has new problems, or Gree once again faces 'barbarians', the influence will be sustained. Only 0.74% of the stock Dong Mingzhu a very important counterweight.
The control is reflected in internal management. It is like some business people. She pays attention to details, leads to results, does not control his temper, and even gets angry in the face of the media. 'Management is iron. How can it be art?' Dong Mingzhu Summarizes his own management as a '狠' word, 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 狠 对 对 对 对 对 对 对 对 对 对 对 对 对.
Gree employee Pang Shuang told the Beijing News reporter that after entering Gree, Dong Mingzhu felt that he was more powerful than he imagined. 'On the one hand is praise, this one is very powerful, and the other is her management style. It is indeed iron. This kind of woman's power. 'He said, 'I was most impressed with the fact that every time I report work with her, you first must thoroughly understand the work. Second, you must have your own opinion. If you can't achieve these three points, you will be guilty of her. You must add a quotation mark to this trick, and it is more of a criticism.
Although he was previously retired as chairman of Gree Group, Dong Mingzhu still serves as chairman and president of Gree Electric Appliances.
The aforementioned person who had contacted Zhu Jianghong mentioned to reporters that in the eyes of Zhu Jianghong, Dong Mingzhu has changed something. Before being very polite, the size and affairs will be reported. Now that the two are in the same breath, others will not listen or listen to the opinions. The power is too concentrated. It will cause a person to make some changes.
In Pang Shuang's view, Dong Mingzhu's so-called tempers are just some of the ways to express, 'Dong Zong is actually minimizing the cost of communication.'
A source close to the supplier revealed to reporters that some suppliers are currently in disagreement with Dong Mingzhu on some issues. Although Dong Mingzhu personally 'all in' Yinlong, some suppliers do not seem to be so optimistic about this area and feel the risk. Too big.
The aforementioned Gree employees believe that the division structure may be more suitable for a diversified layout than the traditional pyramid-based organizational structure.
Dong Mingzhu himself does not talk about 'centralization'. She once said, 'The decision must be centralized, but in terms of implementation, it is decentralized.'
Pang Shuang said from her own experience: 'She is not a person who does not accept opinions. After she mentions it, she thinks that if you make sense, she will change. But the probability of this event is lower because she Never make mistakes. 'He said, '(Her request) Sometimes you can understand, sometimes you can't understand. You don't understand but you go and it's the result that she had expected for a long time. So she said A leader-type entrepreneur character is actually gifted. '
Shigekura New Energy, Dong Mingzhu bets again
Some of the controversies in Dong Mingzhu's body are not completely polarized. Although some of the interviewees did not recognize some of her layouts and management methods, she still admits that she always stands for the real economy and insists on technological innovation. This is to support one. The important thing for the development of the enterprise, 'She said that there must be a market for technology, including Gree's constant quality improvement. This has never changed. These are her very valuable aspects'.
In the face of doubt, Dong Mingzhu said, 'Nobody hates not being perfect.' This phrase is very interesting. Similar expressions in the usual context should be 'People hate normal, people are not perfect.'
Dong Mingzhu 'all in' Yinlong, there are suppliers who are not optimistic, and people in the industry are not optimistic. Some people are not optimistic. Why does she do?
For Yinlong’s main lithium titanate battery, a battery expert analyzed the reporters of the Beijing News. In the current national “Recommended Model Catalogue for Promotion and Application of New Energy Vehicles”, there are relatively few lithium titanate models. It means which cars can get subsidies. If they can't get subsidy, it means that their technical level is not high enough. And under such circumstances, the production cost is very high and it is harder to make profits. He mentioned that Yinlong is in the fast charge field. It is leading, but fast charging and battery life is difficult to take into account at present. This is the most critical issue that restricts the promotion of lithium titanate batteries.
Dong Mingzhu once said: 'You bought a company, not because it was very good in the past, but because it will be very good in the future. 'She firmly believes that the battery life of Yinlong's will break through, it's only a matter of time,' The past is their extensive management'.
The latest news from the media is that after the departure of Wei Yincang, Yinlong re-inaugurated the chairman of the board of directors: Yuan Guolong, chairman and president of Sun Guohua, will step down. The fifth largest shareholder, General Manager of Puruan Capital, Lu Chunquan serves as chairman, Yinlong vice president, former Gree Electric The company’s general manager, Lai Xinhua, took the post of president. The change means that Yinlong’s founder team withdrew from the company’s top management team.
In an exclusive interview with the Beijing News reporter, Dong Mingzhu further stated that 'new energy I think is a national strategy, because no new country has an absolute lead in terms of new energy...it is a new starting point. New exploration, a new transformation. The choice of new energy is not because the company is good, but because it is at the national level. We have challenges and we want to innovate. And it is very relevant to our Gree, especially the Energy domain. '
The prospects of new energy are difficult to judge now. However, when making some decisions, short-term profit does not seem to be the biggest appeal of Dong Mingzhu. She talks most about national strategies, corporate responsibility, and more ambitious propositions, but no one feels her. Is singing high-profile.
In terms of objective facts, Dong Mingzhu should be a professional manager of Gree, but in the eyes of Pang Shuang and other employees, 'Dong has always had a relationship with the Gree with the height of entrepreneurs.' For a professional manager The operating figure may be the largest practice goal, but for Dong Mingzhu, who benefits from the overall reform and opening up of the country, and Gree's mutual achievement, the goal of practice is based more on its own long-standing principles and beliefs.
In a recent statement by Dong Mingzhu, she set a new 'small goal': the future development of Gree is no longer a simple goal of hundreds of billions of dollars. 'We will have to make efforts in smart devices in the next five years. Intelligent equipment must adhere to independent innovation and become Gree's second main business in the future.
This time, Dong Mingzhu is looking for the right direction?