Anyone Can Leave, but Robin Li Must Keep Fighting

Anyone Can Leave, but Robin Li Must Keep Fighting

News of Qi Lu’s departure has undoubtedly sent shockwaves through a tech industry that has seen little drama lately. The last time Baidu drew this much attention was probably when the Putian medical scandal was exposed. In between, the departures of people like Wang Jin and Andrew Ng also caused quite a stir within the industry, but neither carried the same weight as Qi Lu. After all, only Qi Lu was in a position to directly share Robin Li’s burden. Once Qi Lu arrived, the number of senior executives reporting directly to Robin Li was cut in half. Only with that direct reduction in workload and pressure could Robin Li free up enough mental space to think about Baidu’s future and direction—a company that, while still towering over most other tech firms, looks increasingly precarious when compared only with the other two members of the BAT trio.

And now Qi Lu is leaving too. As soon as the news broke, Baidu’s market value instantly dropped by 400 million US dollars, and it may continue to fall until it finds a more appropriate level. Some people said, “See, this is Qi Lu’s value.” That is both true and not true. As an individual, Qi Lu alone probably is not worth as much as 5% of Baidu’s market capitalization. But as a leader and manager, his significance to Baidu may well exceed what that 5% represents. In any case, the market reaction is more about concern over risk and uncertainty. Using that reaction alone to measure the value of Qi Lu, Andrew Ng, or anyone else would be misleading.

As for Qi Lu’s departure, people were quick to connect it with the earlier exits of Baidu’s so-called “Four Generals,” and all kinds of rumors about the company suddenly grew louder. But no matter how dramatic or legendary the so-called insider stories may sound, they are ultimately just material for after-dinner gossip, entertainment for spectators. They offer no real help whatsoever. The only person who actually has to face the problems and solve them is Robin Li.

In his open letter to Baidu employees, Robin Li simply and calmly stated the fact of Qi Lu’s departure, thanked him for his contributions, and then laid out the transition of responsibilities. After Qi Lu leaves, people such as Ya-Qin Zhang and Xiang Hailong will report to him again; the rest will be arranged as needed, and those due for promotion will be promoted. After all, what else can be done? I imagine that even if by tomorrow every single name mentioned in that open letter had also left Baidu, Robin Li would still calmly continue making arrangements. It is hard to imagine how much additional work it means when several army-group-level figures suddenly begin reporting directly to you, or how much extra energy Robin Li will have to spend to absorb those reports and rethink the broader plan. But then again—what choice does he have? At Baidu, from the number-two person all the way down to the number twenty-thousand person, anyone can leave. But even if they all leave, Robin Li still has to stay and keep fighting. Baidu and Robin Li, like Alibaba and Jack Ma, or Tencent and Pony Ma, are inseparable.

You can say Robin Li is authoritarian, or that Baidu is beset by troubles both internal and external. Although I have not seen these things firsthand, I believe such claims have their reasons. Of course they do—there is no founder who is completely indecisive and entirely non-authoritarian, and there is no organization utterly free of anxiety, conflict, or internal struggle. That is true everywhere. Baidu’s talent turnover may reflect intensifying contradictions, or it may not. Only Baidu itself truly knows, like a person drinking water and knowing for himself whether it is warm or cold. But judging only from the outside, Robin Li was willing to let half of Baidu’s senior executives report to Qi Lu, which shows both a willingness to delegate and a genuine eagerness to bring in top talent. Faced with the organization’s many flaws, he also showed determination to reform. But even if, as the rumors suggest, Qi Lu’s departure really does mean that reform has failed, the one who can leave is only Qi Lu. For Robin Li, even if Qi Lu leaves behind an even worse situation, he can only take it over, start again, and keep going. He has no other choice. And that is precisely the difference between a founder and everyone else: whatever the outcome, he has no alternative.

Emotionally speaking, the Putian scandal truly damaged what little goodwill I still had toward Baidu. But looking at Qi Lu’s departure from another angle, it also makes one see more clearly the difficulty and responsibility of being a founder. So I still hope Baidu can make a smooth transition and find the right successor to Qi Lu.

A reminder to myself as well.