Zhang: Microsoft "lost Years" is the biggest regret

Absrtact: Microsoft Asia Pacific Research Group Original chairman, Baidu President Zhang. September 8, the Mid-Autumn festival, a reunion day. But Zhang chose to break up with Microsoft on this day. On the afternoon of Mid-Autumn festival, Microsoft China confirmed Microsoft Asia Pacific Research Group Chairman Zhang


Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group former chairman, Baidu President Zhang.

September 8, the Mid-Autumn festival, a reunion day. But Zhang chose to break up with Microsoft on this day.

On the afternoon of the Mid-Autumn festival, Microsoft China confirmed that Microsoft Asia Pacific Research Group chairman Zhang will resign from Microsoft. September 10, Baidu announced, Zhang as Baidu President, responsible for new business.

For the new business in Baidu, Zhang did not give too much explanation, he only disclosed only "I want to let myself have a very busy life." ”

In such a delicate time, Zhang this feeling seems quite meaningful. And Zhang seems to show that in the last few years of Microsoft, he had a very leisurely.

On the eve of his departure from Microsoft, Zhang in media interviews with a message of concern for Microsoft. He is excited about some of the research and advanced development that Microsoft's Asian research and Development Group is doing, but on the other hand it can be frustrating because many technologies have not yet entered the market.

"I have a common vision with Baidu. "Job-hopping Baidu, seems to be the best choice for Zhang." Robin Li is looking forward to Zhang joining the company by virtue of its technical attainments to expand Baidu's technical advantages.

Wanted to quit three years ago.

From a gifted teenager to Microsoft Asia Pacific Research and Development Group chairman, he stood at the crossroads of self subversion.

Zhang is a young genius, he entered the Chinese University of Science and Technology at the age of 12 class, 20 years old, has obtained a master's degree in radio and electronic engineering, 23 years old, University of Washington, electrical engineering doctorate. In 1997, Zhang, 31 years old, won the title of Academician of the American Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (Ieeefellow) and became the youngest scientist in the ancient Association.

Zhang joined Microsoft two years later and became the chief scientist of the Microsoft China Institute at the age of 33. Later, the organization was upgraded to Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research Institute, and later became an important part of Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group, after Zhang as Microsoft Asia-Pacific research Group chairman. At the end of his time at Microsoft, Zhang said in a final interview with the media that he was standing at the crossroads of self subversion.

Zhang's resume in Microsoft can be divided into three stages, the first five years is a scientist. The second five years is the transformation of scientists to managers, in January 2006, Bill Gates kissed the Zhang returned to set up Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group, the role of further increase for the global senior vice president, and Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group chairman, responsible for Microsoft in Asia-Pacific research and product development work. However, this is Zhang at Microsoft's highest position. In the last 8 years, Zhang watched the former subordinates gradually rise into their own leadership, but helpless.

The third phase, push cloud computing. In March 2014, the Azure Public cloud service, which was operated by the century Interconnection, was put into commercial operation, and Microsoft became the first multinational company to provide public cloud platform services in China. This also became Zhang's self-proclaimed "mission reached" footnote.

Zhang also said, "In fact, as early as three years ago, had wanted to leave, to do something personal interest." As for what is more interesting, one of the most likely is to return to the post of scientist and abandon the ease of life.

The last two years have been elevated

In the position of the Asia Pacific Research and Development Group boss for 8 years, the promotion is slim while the basic is overhead.

Sogou CEO Wang Xiaoquan has said that the reason for job-hopping, "money, not enough; the heart, wronged" is the universal two measures, put on the same as the Zhang.

Yi, Executive vice chairman and secretary general of China Mobile Internet Industry Alliance, said that Zhang in Microsoft actually "unemployed for many years", from the outside, one of the evidence is the IT industry a little bit famous people out of the book, he will gladly write a preface. In addition, Zhang has been shouldering a lubricant role in relations with the Chinese government. According to Zhang, he gave lectures to the central authorities, including leaders of the propaganda department.

Now, Microsoft's relationship with Beijing is freezing, Microsoft faces antitrust investigations in China, and Microsoft's latest operating system, WINDOWS8, is not in the government procurement catalogue.

Microsoft's CEO, Barnard, will visit China in late September in an attempt to negotiate an antitrust investigation by the Chinese government on Microsoft in the near future to try to ease tensions over antitrust issues, Reuters reported. Zhang bear the pressure imaginable.

In addition, "No Zhi" or Zhang leave another motivation.

A Microsoft employee posted online that Zhang was Microsoft's second president. 2004 transferred to the Headquarters, the CVP (Vice president), and later returned home, in the Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group boss position to the top, report up to three floor is the CEO. The third Shen Xiangyang, transferred to Headquarters in 2007, the CVP is now the tube of the whole

"In fact, three years ago, had thought about leaving, to do something personal interest." "BAT, millet, jingdong and other new enterprises have done quite well, they are in the user response speed and service details are worthy of multinational companies to learn." "I have a common vision with Baidu and look forward to being part of this team." "--Zhang

EVP of the Institute (Senior Vice President), report directly to the CEO, the level is higher than Zhang.

In addition, Lurkey 2008 from Yahoo to the Microsoft, direct EVP, is the Chinese at the highest level of American enterprises leadership. Two EVP ahead, chasing hopeless. There is no chance of a promotion unless you go to Microsoft USA to manage a certain direction of development.

Even worse than the 8-year position, Zhang was largely elevated in the last two years. "Just technology incubation and STB in China (the server and Development tools Division of cloud computing business) is a neglected sector and has recently been downsized." "The person said.

According to a person familiar with the matter, Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group now has three business units, respectively, Yongdong, director of the Asia-Pacific Engineering Institute, Wuen director of the Asia-Pacific Institute, and Zhang Department General Shen Yuanqing head of the cloud business. But the actual Zhang can control only Shen Yuanqing business, the latter two business respectively directly to Lurkey, Shen Xiangyang report.

September 17, Microsoft announced Wuen successor Zhang, the Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group chairman.

Who Betrayed who?

Microsoft's institutional flaws have somewhat curbed Zhang's potential, and Zhang is considered a "old school" representative. For Zhang, Microsoft's best bet for the moment is "go for it".

Zhang in the media for some time before leaving Microsoft, sending a message of concern to Microsoft.

A lot of people in the scientific and technological circles have privately believed that the Chinese local management, represented by Zhang, has not given Microsoft a worthy mention in recent years. Prior to his departure, Zhang told Sohu that he was excited about some of the research and advanced development that Microsoft Asia Research and Development Group was doing, but on the other hand, it would be frustrating because many technologies did not enter the market at all.

In the mobile Internet era, Microsoft is undergoing a transformation, Zhang, "is not a technical problem, as Einstein said, in addition to a good vision, good strategy, but also a strong executive power to succeed." ”

In an interview this May, Zhang said that tablet computers are now very popular, and Microsoft did the earliest, wearing a watch that Microsoft had already done 15 years ago. "In 2004, I was at Microsoft headquarters in charge of the mobile phone department, there was no Android and no iOS, Microsoft's mobile operating system is the most optimistic." Unfortunately, Microsoft has lost many years, which is my biggest regret. "Now that Microsoft is investing in research and development, it is also a chance to use technology to win," Zhang said.

In Zhang's view, the company must have the courage to subvert their own culture, Microsoft's biggest competitor has been its own. such as Kodak, Motorola and other large enterprises, do not have obvious mistakes, but suddenly one day, the enterprise does not exist, in fact, this is the enterprise into the innovation trap-think that they do represent the industry direction, but neglected the green shoots of subversion.

But he also told reporters that he is very optimistic about the bat (Baidu, Alibaba (rolling information), Tencent) development, "bat, millet, jingdong and other new enterprises have done quite well, they are in the user response speed and service details are worthy of multinational companies to learn." ”

Sogou CEO Wang Xiaoquan that Zhang is the Internet research and development model of subversive victory, not the disappearance of foreign companies red blanket. "The power of the Internet is the speed of the market adaptability, the need for rapid and flexible technology-driven, with Google as the representative of the enterprise to the technology research and development and product launch of the combination of the ultimate." In Microsoft, the product from the project to the output need 3-5 years, coupled with remote management, decision-making efficiency is low, so difficult to support change, unavoidably lose. ”

About "product from project to output need 3-5 years", in an interview, Microsoft Engineering Institute of a senior engineer to agree that small ice only used 6 months, is a Microsoft system in a "wonderful flower."

Microsoft's system may have curbed Zhang's potential, but Zhang, who worked for 16 years at Microsoft, was also considered a "old school" representative. Yi said that Zhang is now more like a "business card", a "preacher", his label on Microsoft is much more than practical significance.

Microsoft is now facing unprecedented difficulties, from the birth trajectory of Microsoft's small ice, you can see within Microsoft is exploring a radical change road. It is revealed that Microsoft's small ice team has been working overtime for several months, the intensity of work has been the same as domestic internet companies. And earlier in the Microsoft Asia-Pacific Group, overtime is very rare, even when working hours, there are still many people in the office building gym running or yoga. These are the Zhang in the design of Asia-Pacific Research and Development group, specially added equipment.

Microsoft's new CEO, official, who has been deeply involved in China's business management Zhang, may be forced to make changes. In addition, with the current Microsoft transformation Progress, the Microsoft company structure, for a period of time will not give China's local technology development team more resources to support. So Zhang's Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group has limited room to grow. After the Windows Azure cloud service landed in China, there was really nothing to make Zhang feel excited about.

Yi said that the Zhang from Microsoft's heyday may not be able to identify with and adapt to the cost of Microsoft in the transition period. For Zhang, Baidu is the best choice.

The olive branch of Robin Li

Zhang and Baidu combined by the industry as a perfect match, Baidu is Zhang Job-hopping the best choice, and Zhang can bring more technical advantages for Baidu.

When Microsoft's Zhang gradually became "chicken ribs", the Shanxi fellow, who was two years younger than him, threw in the olive branch, giving the position of Vice President, responsible for emerging business. September 10, Zhang.

The industry generally believe that for Zhang and Baidu, this is "a perfect match."

Yi Analysis said, Zhang character is not suitable for entrepreneurship, and not enough strength like Kai-Fu Lee do, pull the government and the rich individual set up to do incubators, so job-hopping to a large company is the best choice.

For Zhang, other multinational internet companies are small in China and have no similar level of opportunity. Technology-competitive Baidu can no doubt maximize its value.

And for Baidu, Zhang is also a good choice.

At some point, Baidu and Microsoft are similar, are in the mobile Internet transformation, relatively backward. In the future, the search engine value will gradually become smaller, the product itself can search. such as social networking tools can be searched, e-commerce tools can also be searched, and some information can only be found on these tools, search engines on the contrary could not find.

"Previously in the desktop era, people spent three hours a day on search engines, now only 1.5 hours." This means that if the situation does not reverse, the future of Baidu's flow will drop, the value will also fall. "Yi said.

So what does Baidu need Zhang bring?

First, although Baidu through mergers and acquisitions and so on has 14 mobile internet products, but no social platform can integrate all products and in the development of users and occupy the market in the competition to make greater breakthroughs. Zhang for Scientific research talent appeal, help Baidu recruit more research and development talent, expand technical superiority. Microsoft China Research and Development group from basic research to product development, industry cooperation model, experience, contacts, will also help Baidu quickly achieve product line integration.

Second, Robin Li's expectations of Baidu is technology-led, Zhang in Microsoft, in artificial intelligence, based on voice, image search methods and so on, and this is probably the search engine in the mobile internet era breakthrough.

In addition, Li may also expect Zhang to help Baidu store more future technology, so that when the next wave of reform comes, Baidu will not be left behind. This is the work of Zhang in the Microsoft Asia-Pacific Research and Development Group--for the profit-making work, to understand trends, to develop technology, to ensure that always in the leading position.

Therefore, last week in the inauguration of Baidu, Zhang Foreign said, very excited to be in the Internet industry key turning point to join Baidu, Baidu has a great vision and development courage, in the important cutting-edge technology to change the Internet to deploy actively, increasing research and development investment. "I have a common vision with Baidu and look forward to being part of this team." ”

And Baidu chairman and CEO Robin Li said, "very happy Dr. Zhang to join our senior management team, Dr. Zhang has a deep technical attainments and rich business experience, will make us a valuable contribution to the emerging business areas." ”

Values are the sort of choices. The cost of choosing is to give up something that can achieve maximum value. Judging from this dimension, Zhang's choice is not worse than before.