229: Nokia high-level meeting

After listening to several minutes of continuous praise for Shuguang Technology, a high-ranking executive in a suit with a protruding belly disdainfully said, “Mr. Dalton, I think our headquarters here seems to be overly concerned with Shuguang Technology, making it seem like we’re about to be defeated by them.

They only sell 2.5 million phones a month, which is still a big gap compared to us.

Compared to our current Global monthly sales of 14.5 million phones, with an estimated annual sale of 174 million phones, they are just an ordinary competitor.

It’s not worth gathering the presidents and core executives from multiple Nokia branches across Asia, Europe, North America, South America… Global.

This wastes a lot of time, and I don’t particularly like sitting on a plane for half a day.”

Facing the words of the suited but portly executive, no one immediately refuted him.

Firstly, the portly man was the president of Nokia’s North America division, considered the biggest regional magnate within Nokia, and no one wanted to offend him.

Secondly, they somewhat agreed with the North America division president’s words.

After all, gathering everyone from around the Global just for Shuguang Technology indeed made many people present a bit dissatisfied.

It’s fine for those in Europe, but it’s troublesome for the presidents and core executives from distant places like Asia, South America, and North America.

A trip requires sitting on a plane for half a day, so their mood was naturally not very good.

Speaking of which, they weren’t too pleased with Nokia’s headquarters being in Finland, as it was simply too inconvenient for travel.

Therefore, many within Nokia had suggested relocating the headquarters to United States, rather than staying in remote Finland.

However, before Dalton, who was originally presenting the situation, could speak, a serious-looking foreigner next to the North America division president spoke up, “Shuguang Technology is not weak; it is actually one of the mobile phone companies most likely to defeat our Nokia.”

This serious-looking foreigner was quite famous in his previous life; he was Compaq, President of Nokia from 2005 to 2010 in the previous life.

Of course, he is not yet President of Nokia; he is currently the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Nokia.

Besides President Olilla summoning everyone for this Global meeting, a large part of the reason was also Compaq’s suggestion.

Compaq slowly began to speak under the displeased gaze of the North America division president.

“Currently, Shuguang Technology is constructing a new factory with an annual production capacity of 30 million phones, and this new factory is expected to begin production in September.

That is to say, by September, they will have a production capacity of 60 million phones.

According to market department statistics, based on the current market situation where Shuguang Technology’s phones are being snapped up and selling well.

It is estimated that in the future, they will be able to sell at least 4 million phones per month, which means their estimated annual sales can reach 50 million units!”

“50 million units?”

A chorus of exclamations rang out, because if Shuguang Technology could truly achieve that, their sales would actually reach one-third of Nokia’s.

After all, Nokia’s estimated annual sales for this year were only 174 million phones, and that was an optimistic figure given at the beginning of the year; the actual sales are a mystery.

Now with Shuguang Technology acting as a disruptive force, it’s uncertain whether they can maintain the target of 174 million phones in annual sales.

Therefore, with the words of Chief Financial Officer Compaq, no one present dared to underestimate Shuguang Technology anymore.

“That’s just wishful thinking; the Global mobile phone market is inherently volatile.

Just because their phones are being snapped up now doesn’t mean they will be in the future.”

The North America division president said stubbornly, unwilling to concede to his former rival, Compaq.

His position as North America division president actually belonged to Compaq before last year, but because Compaq was promoted and returned to headquarters to serve as Chief Financial Officer.

The position of North America division president naturally became vacant, and eventually, because he and Compaq didn’t get along well, President Ollila promoted him to be the North America division president.

This was also a form of checks and balances against Compaq, and such mutual checks and balances exist not only in officialdom but also in companies.

So, at this moment, the North America division president was not very pleased with Compaq.

At this moment, President Olilla of Nokia, seeing the meeting on the verge of a major dispute, quickly interjected, “Alright, let’s continue the meeting.”

Upon hearing this, the scene immediately fell silent, and then everyone sat back down.

President Ollila’s prestige within Nokia was unparalleled; he was the absolute deity of Nokia, his word was law.

After all, Nokia’s growth from a company on the verge of bankruptcy in Finland to its current scale was entirely brought about by President Ollila.

Under such circumstances, how could his prestige not be high? How could he not inspire admiration?

At this moment, looking at the silent scene, President Ollila directly stated with finality, “Although Shuguang Technology’s sales cannot compare to our estimated annual sales of 174 million phones.

However, because they focus on mid-range phones, the profit earned from a mid-range phone is actually equivalent to several low-end phones.

If we don’t take Shuguang Technology seriously, even if they can’t defeat us in sales, because all their phones are mid-range.

Their profits might be on par with or even surpass ours, and this is something we absolutely cannot tolerate.

Therefore, this meeting is not for everyone to argue here, but for the company to reach a unified consensus.

Then, we will gather all of Nokia’s Global strength to target Shuguang Technology, doing our utmost to suppress Shuguang Technology and eliminate this company in its infancy.”

Facing the words of President Olilla of Nokia, not a single person dared to refute him.

With the prestige President Ollila had built up over many years, if anyone dared to contradict the major policy set by President Ollila, then at this moment, if President Ollila told him to get lost, he would truly have to get lost.

Even if he didn’t get lost, a notice of forced resignation would be issued afterward; this was the absolute dominance of President Olilla within Nokia.

So, Dalton, who was in charge of the PPT presentation, continued his speech.

And as he explained in detail, the people present, through various data, also realized that Shuguang Technology was indeed a formidable enemy.

After all, growing to its current level in less than a year, Shuguang Technology’s growth rate was indeed terrifying.

And the most terrifying thing was not their growth rate, but the quality of their phones and the core technologies they had developed in less than a year.