China News Service, July 6 (Zhang Aolin) On July 5, local time, the founder of Amazon and billionaire Bezos formally stepped down as the company's chief executive officer (CEO), and his successor was previously responsible. Jassy of the cloud computing business.
Amazon's business is getting more and more prosperous. Some people speculate that Bezos is leaving at this time or there are other secrets; others are worried about Amazon after Bezos's departure.
However, Bezos himself, who is "relaxed", doesn't seem to think so much, because he is preparing for the first major event after leaving office: flying into space...
Data map: Bezos, founder of Amazon.com.
The rapids retreat, why does Bezos leave now?
Speaking of Amazon, many people's first impression of it is inseparable from "online shopping."
This Internet company, which was the first to sell books as its main business, has become one of the world's largest Internet online retailers.
In 2016, Amazon ranked only 44th in the "Fortune Global 500" list of the US "Fortune" magazine, and this number has become 9th by 2020!
Affected by the new crown epidemic, online shopping has increasingly become the norm for consumption in many parts of the world.
As an e-commerce company Amazon, in the fourth quarter of 2020 alone, Amazon's net sales reached 125.6 billion U.S. dollars, a 44% increase compared to the 87.4 billion U.S. dollars in the same period in 2019!
This is also the first time in history that Amazon's quarterly net sales have exceeded the $100 billion mark.
The company is developing rapidly. According to ordinary people's understanding, Bezos should be confident and ready to make new achievements. Why does he want to step down as CEO?
Some media analysis said that this may be related to the strengthening of domestic supervision.
Data map: Logos of American Amazon, Google, Apple and Facebook.
On October 6, 2020, the Antitrust Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee issued an investigation report. The four major technology giants, Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook, were accused of enjoying monopoly power. The report recommended that the U.S. Congress conduct a comprehensive reform of the antitrust law.
After U.S. President Biden took power, antitrust actions have intensified.
On June 11, 2021, the House of Representatives announced five drafts, the main purpose of which is to promote anti-monopoly reforms, targeting the Big Four.
Then, on June 23, the House of Representatives advanced a package of antitrust bills, including a bill requiring these giants to sell competing businesses.
Earlier, there were reports that under an antitrust bill, Amazon would be forced to sell its high-value logistics service department.
Even if the resignation of CEO is really related to the strengthening of supervision, is Bezos really willing to face Amazon, which he founded?
Starting from scratch, a small workshop transformed into a technology giant
Twenty-six years ago, it was also a summer, when Amazon took its first step in Seattle.
At that time, this small workshop with only 10 employees was not called Amazon, but Cadabra. According to Bezos himself, this was an abbreviation of the word abracadabra (mantra).
Once, after Bezos told the lawyer his company name, he was misunderstood as cadaver (corpse) by the lawyer. Later, Bezos realized that the name was very bad. A few months later, the company name was officially changed to "Amazon".
Data map: On May 2, 2001, Bezos stood in the office of Amazon, with Seattle's high-rise buildings behind him.
In fact, after graduating from the prestigious Princeton University, Bezos was "unmatched" with entrepreneurship at the beginning.
After walking in the New York workplace, he became the vice president of a hedge fund company on Wall Street in just a few years.
The reason why he left a stable life to start a business, Bezos recalled that the decisive reason was that he discovered in the spring of 1994 that the growth rate of Internet usage reached 2300%, and exclaimed that "there are few things that can grow faster. Reach so fast".
"If I didn't try, I will regret it forever." With this idea, Bezos started his entrepreneurial career.
In July 1995, the Amazon online store was officially launched.
At first, Amazon had only one business-selling books.
Bezos believes that the circulation of books is huge, but physical bookstores cannot put millions of books, and computers are very suitable for sorting and searching books.
Thanks to Bezos' foresight, he became the "first person to eat crabs" on the Internet to sell books.
Within 30 days of launch, they received orders from 50 states and 45 countries (or regions) across the United States.
Bezos himself said, "We didn't expect such a good response at all."
It is worth mentioning that, among the most original founders of Amazon, Bezos' parents are also included.
They took out almost all of their savings of 300,000 US dollars to support Bezos to start a business.
At that time, they didn't understand the Internet. The first question his father asked was "What is the Internet?"
When talking about this experience, Bezos said with a smile that his parents were "betting on their son."
However, "fortunately, their decision brought good returns."
Data map: Amazon truck driving on the streets of the United States.
Although it has experienced the stage of being underestimated, with the expansion of its business, Amazon has gradually become the world's Internet giant, and Bezos himself has repeatedly ascended the "throne" of the world's richest man.
Not retire after leaving office, ready for space travel
Today, people have habitually equated Bezos with Amazon.
Some American netizens joked, "Bezos has left, is Amazon still the same Amazon?"
In fact, Bezos's resignation this time is only Amazon's CEO. After that, he is still Amazon's largest shareholder and serves as the executive chairman of the board of directors. He still has a wide range of influence on the company.
"I have never been so energetic. It is not about retirement. Just as I still tap dance to work, I am very excited about this transformation." On February 3, local time, after announcing the decision to step down as CEO Bezos described this move as a "transformation."
Bezos referred to Amazon’s CEO as a "heavy responsibility and energy-consuming work." He said that in addition to continuing to participate in Amazon’s important affairs, he will devote more time and experience to the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, "Washington Post" and so on made him "feel passionate career."
Data map: On April 29, 2018, near Van Horn, Texas, the United States Blue Origin successfully tested again and recovered the upgraded "New Shepard" suborbital vehicle.
(Video screenshot)
At the moment, his top priority is to fly into space on July 20, 2021, on the "New Shepard" rocket developed by the space exploration company "Blue Origin" that he personally established in 2000.
Also accompanied by his brother Mark and two other passengers.
Bezos is very looking forward to the space trip. He posted on social media saying, "From the age of 5, I have dreamed of traveling in space. On July 20th, I will embark on this journey with my brother. . The best adventure, with my best friend."
Bezos stepped down, what is the future of Amazon?
Bezos is about to "fly into the sky", but the huge Amazon company "on the ground" cannot be "no one in a day."
In fact, Bezos' successor has already been decided, he is the veteran member of Amazon-Jassy.
Data map: Amazon's new CEO Jassi.
In 1997, Jassy joined Amazon, which was just an online bookstore at the time, as Bezos's technical assistant.
Before taking office as CEO, Jassy was in charge of Amazon's cloud computing department. Therefore, there are speculations that cloud computing may be Amazon's main development direction in the future.
However, before taking office as a new official, before lighting the "three fires", the first thing that Jiaxi has to face is a basin of cold water.
Because the US authorities have already begun their antitrust investigations on Amazon.
How to safely respond to the investigation by the authorities and lead Amazon to a better tomorrow will be the biggest test for this successor.
Just as Microsoft founder Bill Gates resigned as president in 2000 and continued to serve as chairman and one of the founders of Google, Larry Page continued to contribute to the decision-making level after he retired from management, Bezos, who is still behind the scenes, should Nor will it just focus on "playing". Where does Amazon go in the future, he is still the biggest "mainstay."
Amazon Chief Financial Officer Brian Oslavsky believes, "Jeff (Bezos) is not gone, he just has a new job."