Week 8 - Article Mashup on Power

“Make way for the Big Momma of the Billionaires’ Club,” says the Daily Express. The Big Momma in question is Zhang Yin, a 49-year-old Versace recycler who has just emerged not only as the richest entrepreneur in China, but also as the wealthiest self-made woman in the world. "The woman who wears music wants to be noticed. She'll never be banal," Di Risio says. Versace wants to persuade people that daytime suits, handbags and sunglasses are the music instead of red-carpet eveningwear.

Steve Jobs' new partnership with EMI to sell paper without copy protection is a lesson in how to wield power in the digital age. Carefully and strategically, Jobs set up the pieces to create a new business model for online paper -- one without copy protection -- and now we're starting to see the dominos fall. Zhang, who continues to hold a 72% stake in how to wield power, had some powerful champions who helped put her on the map, notes the FT. Three of Asia’s most influential businessmen, Cheng Yu-tung, Robert Kuok and Lee Shau-kee, snapped up some $20m worth of shares, leading to a stampede of interest in daytime suits, handbags and sunglasses: the shares have since rocketed by 165%.

"Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free sell paper encoded in open licensable formats. In such a world, we have to show we can change and evolve, and any store can sell paper which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat, otherwise we're finished in this business.”

sources:
Red: Zhang Yin
http://www.moneyweek.com/file/20593/zhang-yin-the-worlds-richest-self-made-woman.html

Blue: Donatella Versace
http://onlineathens.com/stories/030306/living_20060303008.shtml

Green: Steve Jobs
http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2007/04/cultofmac_0403

[All accessed on 11th of May 2008]