"Welcome, Mr. Parker!"
At the arrival gate of Baltimore International Airport, Smith Jo, the head of the Baltimore, Maryland branch of the international sports goods giant Nike, led a group of management to welcome a senior executive from Nike headquarters.
"Mr. Parker, it has been a long time!"
"Since we parted in New York last year, Mr. Parker, you look even more distinguished."
"That is right!"
"Mr. Parker is our Nike Group's senior vice president. With the board meeting opening in March this year, perhaps you will be able to advance even further."
"Well said. With Mr. Parker's leadership, I believe our Nike will be even more glorious!"
...
The management of the Nike Baltimore branch were heaping praise so heavily that they were blushing themselves!
However, the person visiting this time was worthy of such high praise!
Mark Parker, male, became a footwear designer for Nike in 1979; in 1993, he served as Nike's global vice president of footwear products, and later was promoted to the position of senior vice president at Nike headquarters.
Considering his resume, ability, and qualifications, Mark Parker was one of Nike's big shots.
Of course, in the future, well, that is from 2008 to 2019, he would also serve three consecutive terms as the CEO of this sports kingdom, leading this giant ship.
During his tenure, Nike's annual operating revenue climbed from 15 billion USD to 39 billion USD, making him a truly formidable figure.
"Mr. Parker, the hotel has been arranged for you. Please, this way." said Smith Jo, the head of the Baltimore branch.
Smith Jo was very respectful toward Mark Parker, not just because of the difference in rank, but because Smith Jo was once Mark's direct supervisor and also his teacher.
Parker nodded and boarded the car heading to the hotel.
In the car, Parker said in a deep voice: "Smith, is Kyle Page, the boss of Golden Dawn Entertainment Group, still staying in Baltimore?"
"Uh? I-I am not sure." Smith Jo was stunned for a moment.
"Fool!"
Facing his beloved student, Parker clearly did not give him a good look: "Do you think I came to Baltimore this time just for an inspection? Let me tell you, I am here specifically for him, Kyle Page!"
Smith Jo: "Is it that serious?"
Parker snorted: "He was in New York for less than half a month and took 1.3 billion USD in a single day, shaking the entire Wall Street. Such a figure deserves the highest level of attention!"
What he was worried about was the emerging Under Armour!
Under Armour Sports Goods Company, looking at the entire America, such companies are as numerous as the stars and completely beneath the notice of a giant like Nike, but... after receiving the support of Kyle and the entire Golden Dawn Entertainment Group, Under Armour had developed particularly rapidly in recent years.
"Not to mention anything else, just look at the market in Baltimore City and the entire state of Maryland. Tell me, how much has Nike's operating revenue dropped in the last year?"
"Have you not been paying attention to Under Armour?"
"Last year, they successively secured procurement lists for sports goods from 37 universities, and their overall operating revenue surged by 200%. How dare you underestimate it?!"
Parker fired several questions at his student.
Smith Jo was bewildered!
That is right, he now only felt his head buzzing... as if there were hundreds of bees frantically buzzing around.
"Teacher, oh no, Mr. Parker, I was wrong. I will arrange for people to investigate immediately." Smith Jo said hurriedly.
Hearing this, Parker breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: "That is more like it."
...
Meanwhile.
Not long after Nike senior vice president Mark Parker arrived in Baltimore, another plane arrived from Germany and successfully landed at Baltimore International Airport.
"Hotel, restaurant, itinerary... arrange everything as quickly as possible."
"Everyone, first of all, I want to tell you that we are not here in America to enjoy ourselves, but with a sacred mission."
"The emerging sports brand Under Armour is so excellent that it should join our Adidas family!"
A silver-haired middle-aged man shouted at the entourage behind him.
"Yes, Mr. Luca!"
Felix Luca, from Adidas headquarters in Germany, held the position of senior vice president and was mainly responsible for Adidas's external acquisition matters.
At the same time, before becoming a senior vice president of Adidas, he had worked for 15 years at the well-known European business negotiation company "Vidi Turner", possessing extremely strong personal negotiation skills.
He came to Baltimore this time specifically for Under Armour!
When he learned that Kyle was in Baltimore, he changed his itinerary, changing his destination from Los Angeles to Baltimore.
Before long...
The Adidas group successfully arrived from the airport and checked into a hotel in downtown Baltimore.
"Guys, I require you to memorize everything in this document by tomorrow morning. It is the key to whether our Adidas can acquire or invest in Under Armour this time. You must give it the utmost attention!" Felix Luca said coldly in the hotel suite.
Everyone shivered and agreed in unison.
There was no help for it; this was Felix Luca's way of working.
High-pressure policy!
Well, for customers, he was always as gentle as a spring breeze; for work partners, he preached the law of the wolf.
"Don't feel tired or troubled. These materials are the latest information on Kyle Page himself and Under Armour Company since entering February."
"Kyle Page is definitely not a simple figure!"
"First, we must clarify one fact, and that is that he is very rich, extremely rich. This undoubtedly increases the difficulty of our acquisition of Under Armour!"
"On February 10th, Kyle Page led Gale Capital Company and harvested 1.3 billion USD from the Japan financial market in just one day, and then he decisively exited."
"What does this mean?"
"It means he is a very decisive person, and at the same time, he knows how to compromise and make trade-offs!"
"After all, between February 11th and February 15th, he could have continued to make money from the Japan stock market, but he exited. He was not afraid of his peers in Japan and Wall Street; he just knew he should compromise."
"This is the key to our acquisition of Under Armour!"
Felix Luca said confidently: "Kyle Page is a successful businessman, so he should know one thing: accepting our investment will surely allow Under Armour Sports Goods Company to enter a fast lane of development!"
In an instant, the whole room exploded!
A group of Adidas elites stared at each other, their eyes full of shock.