I'm in the county town, and you say I'm a big shot?

Chapter 808 "We must reach a consensus, because this will determine the future global fate of TikTok!"

A subtle and tense atmosphere filled the conference room. Zhou Kaiwen's departure was like a stone thrown into calm water, the ripples yet to subside. All eyes were focused on Fang Qingye, awaiting his next words.

Fang Qingye's gaze swept steadily across the room. He leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on the table, and spoke in a calm yet firm tone.

"I know that Mr. Zhou's departure has surprised everyone, and you may have doubts about my decision. But this only highlights the necessity and urgency of our discussion on this issue today. We must reach a consensus, because this will determine the future global fate of TikTok."

Upon hearing Fang Qingye say, "This will determine the global fate of Douyin," Zhang Yimin, sitting on the left, couldn't help but straighten his back.

In his memory, Fang Qingye rarely spoke in this tone; she usually had a nonchalant and easygoing demeanor.

But today is definitely different.

Fang Qingye continued:

"This actually involves a matter of principle: when Douyin goes global, should it adopt a centralized model or a decentralized regional centralized model? I'm telling you now clearly: it's the latter!" Another hushed discussion broke out in the meeting room.

Everyone understands that Fang Qingye has already given the answer, and there is no room for questioning or discussion!
“My proposal of the ‘regional centralization’ principle is not to deny the importance of the US market, nor is it a retreat, but rather to move forward more steadily and further. This is based on considerations on three levels: risk, market, and organization.”

"First, there's strategic security and risk aversion. The Alstom and Toshiba cases I just mentioned are not alarmist." Fang Qingye's voice carried a hint of seriousness.

Li Weijing, the head of the operations department, unconsciously tightened her grip on her pen. She had previously been in charge of liaising with overseas governments and was well aware of the complexities involved.

"Everyone here is a business elite. Please think about it: when a company, especially a technology company like ours that carries huge amounts of data and influence, ties its global lifeline to a single country, it is no longer just a business entity, but may become a 'hostage' in geopolitics."

“Of course we will strictly abide by local laws. But ‘compliance’ is not the same as ‘safety’.” He looked around at everyone, his gaze lingering deliberately on Chief Legal Officer Qin Hailan’s face.

Qin Hailan nodded slightly, looking thoughtful.

"Laws can be amended, and the right of interpretation can be changed. What is compliant today may be defined as a 'national security threat' tomorrow. If we only have one global operations center in the United States, once the situation changes suddenly, the other party only needs to cut off this central hub, and our global operations may be paralyzed instantly."

At that moment, a soft gasp came from the corner, clearly indicating that someone was shaken by the straightforward description.

"This is not unfounded worry; it is the most basic risk hedging mindset—I come from a finance background and I know its importance all too well. 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket'—this ancient wisdom is more relevant than ever in today's world of uncertainty facing globalization."

All eyes involuntarily turned to Chen Weian, who had put forward this viewpoint, which directly led to Zhou Kaiwen's resignation.

Chen Weian also looked serious, constantly taking notes in his notebook.

"Secondly, it's about market depth and localized innovation. The model of concentrating resources in the US and then radiating globally sounds very efficient,"

Fang Qingye's tone was slightly critical, making several executives who had originally supported Zhou Kaiwen's plan somewhat embarrassed. "But in essence, it's a kind of 'lazy' globalization. It implicitly assumes that the US market represents the greatest common denominator of the global market. But is that really the case?"

“The pop culture of Japan and South Korea, the Ramadan customs of the Middle East, the multi-ethnic structure of Southeast Asia, the strict data privacy regulations of European countries… These unique characteristics and diversity cannot be fully understood and responded to by an operations center located far away in California. What we need is ‘deep cultivation’ rather than ‘radiation’.”

"Therefore, my vision for regional centralization is to establish fully functional operation centers in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Singapore or Jakarta; in Europe, such as London or Dublin; and in the Middle East, such as Dubai." As the specific place names were mentioned, a murmur of discussion began to ripple through the meeting room. Some people started whispering, their eyes gleaming with calculation and possibilities.

“They are not branches of the US headquarters, but regional hubs with a high degree of autonomy, responsible for localized content operations, commercialization, legal compliance, and even data management. Only in this way can TikTok truly integrate into the local community and become a part of their cultural life, rather than a superior ‘outsider’.”

Zhang Yimin nodded slightly and exchanged a glance with Liang Rubo, who was sitting next to him.

"Thirdly, there is organizational vitality and competition for talent."

“A single-center model can unconsciously lead us to develop a ‘headquarters mentality’,” Fang Qingye continued.

Chief Human Resources Officer Chen Wen listened with a focused expression.

“We’ve focused our best talent and resources on the U.S. This has two consequences: first, teams in other regional markets lack a sense of belonging and decision-making power, which dampens their enthusiasm; and second, we are unable to attract top local talent who understand their local markets but are unwilling to work in the U.S..”

Chen Wen was quickly taking notes in her notebook while pondering the situation.

“Regional centralization means that we will provide opportunities for talent from all over the world to play key roles locally.”

Fang Qingye's voice became more powerful, as if she were describing a hopeful future.

"This can greatly stimulate organizational vitality and create multiple growth engines, rather than relying on just one engine to drive the world. Even if a regional market encounters temporary policy or market fluctuations, other centers can still operate independently, ensuring the overall stability and resilience of our global business."

At this point, Fang Qingye paused, picked up her teacup, and took a sip, followed by a brief silence in the conference room.

The executives' initial doubts gradually turned into deep thought, and some even nodded slightly.

Fang Qingye put down his teacup and, seizing the opportunity, adopted a more pragmatic tone.

"Therefore, this is not a question of 'whether to do it,' but a strategic necessity of 'how to do it well.' Next, I have instructed the strategy department to take the lead and develop a preliminary framework for the implementation of regional centralization within one month."
Regional Division and Center Location: Clearly define the global division into several major regions and evaluate the best locations for centers in each region.

Division of authority and responsibility: Clearly define the boundaries of authority and responsibility between regional centers and the group headquarters, as well as between each regional center, to ensure a balance between the unity of the group's strategy and the flexibility of regional operations.

Resource allocation and implementation roadmap: Develop a detailed resource investment plan and phased implementation goals.

Jiang Ming, the head of the strategy department who was called out, immediately responded and quickly took notes, while those around him also wrote down the key points in their notebooks.

"Colleagues," Fang Qingye concluded, "Douyin's journey is to the stars and the sea. We cannot ignore the hidden reefs in the distance just because the current seas are calm. A powerful and flexible multi-center network will be the strongest hull for our great ship to withstand any storms in the future. This may be more complex and challenging than building just one center."

His gaze swept across the room again, meeting the eyes of many, conveying confidence: "But I firmly believe that this is the right path to becoming a truly global enterprise."

(End of this chapter)